Department for Transport

Bus Lanes

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to make bus lane access standardised throughout the country.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Bus lanes are provided to give bus services priority during congested times, which can improve punctuality, reliability and journey times. Provision of bus lanes is the responsibility of local traffic authorities, including decisions on what type of vehicles are allowed access. The Government believes these decisions are best made at local level as local circumstances will influence what is appropriate. Traffic signing must clearly reflect the classes of vehicle permitted to access bus lanes, so that drivers are clear what is expected of them. As well as buses and pedal cycles, authorities have discretion to allow motorcycles, hackney carriages and ‘authorised vehicles’ to access bus lanes.

Freight

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to encourage a modal shift from road to water and rail amongst hauliers and freight operators in (a) South East England, (b) East England and (c) the UK.

Claire Perry: The Department continues to support the shift of freight from road to water and rail through the Mode Shift Revenue Support and Waterborne Freight Grant schemes. The State aid clearances for these schemes have been renewed to enable grants to continue to be offered in Great Britain until March 2020. The Department recently published details of awards of up to £20.6m for 2015/16. These include services beginning and/or ending in South East England or East England and also Scottish and Welsh cross border freight services for which Scottish Government and Welsh Government co-funding is sought.

Heathrow Airport

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he will decide whether or not a third runway is approved at Heathrow Airport.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Government has set up the Airports Commission to examine the question of how best to maintain the UK’s international hub connectivity. As its Interim Report shows, the Airports Commission has shortlisted two options at Heathrow Airport as well as an option at Gatwick for further study. The Commission’s final report is due to be submitted to Government in summer 2015. The Government’s principle concern is to protect the integrity and independence of the Commission through to the final report and will not be commenting on its ongoing work.

Aviation: Northern Ireland

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Northern Ireland Aviation Strategy.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Secretary of State for Transport has had no recent discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on a Northern Ireland Aviation Strategy. The Secretary of State gave evidence to the Parliamentary Northern Ireland Committee, and the Government responded to the Committee’s report on an air strategy for Northern Ireland in 2013. Air transport policy in the United Kingdom remains a reserved issue. However some related matters including surface access to airports and those pertaining to land use planning are devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive.

Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in his Department responded that they were treated fairly at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Claire Perry: At the time of the 2014 Survey the Department for Transport comprised a central department and five executive agencies as follows: · Highways Agency· Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency· Maritime & Coastguard Agency· Vehicle Certification Agency· Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency a) In the 2014 People Survey, 65% of DfT respondents declaring a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work. b) 79% of DfT respondents declaring that they did not have a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work.

Policy

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which policies contained in the 2010 Coalition Agreement and falling under his Department's responsibilities have not yet been implemented; and what the reasons are for each such policy's non-implementation.

Claire Perry: The vast majority of the policies within the 2010 Coalition Agreement and falling under the Department for Transport's responsibilities have either been implemented or will be implemented within the duration of the current Government. One policy – to grant longer rail franchises – has been subject to a change already agreed and announced by Ministers. In June 2013 the Government published its response to the Brown Review of the Rail Franchising Programme, accepting the Review’s recommendation that the basis for future franchises would be to assume a 7 – 10 year length, adapted to fit the best needs of each franchise.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what changes to the proposed route alignment of High Speed 2 have resulted from feedback received during the High Speed 2 Community Forum process.

Mr Robert Goodwill: In developing the route alignment for HS2 Phase One a wide variety of suggestions have been considered from many different sources, including the Community Forums. The main local alternatives considered are described in the Environmental Statement published in November 2013. These can be found in section 2.6 in each of the Volume 2 Community Forum area reports. Given the scale of suggestions received it would not be possible or practical to identify those changes that are a direct result of the Community Forums alone.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what arrangements are in place to correct errors of fact in the High Speed 2 Phase One Environment Statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The HS2 Phase One Environment Statement, as deposited in November 2013, was peer reviewed by experts in their field to ensure it was of the highest quality. The subsequent consultation allowed the public to comment on its content and issues contained in the responses received were included in the report by Parliament’s Independent Assessor, which was laid in the House of Commons on 9 April 2014. Where new information has become available through consultation responses that might give rise to new likely significant effects, these effects will be brought before Parliament through a Supplementary Environmental Statement in accordance with the Standing Orders of the House.

Heathrow Airport

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of noise from aircraft taking off or landing at Heathrow on productivity in (a) schools in the Thames Valley and (b) businesses in the Thames Valley.

Mr Robert Goodwill: No such specific assessment has been made. The Government keeps under review all research carried out on the impacts of aircraft noise on health and sleep disturbance, including any effects on productivity, and would take this into account when considering the costs and benefits of any relevant policy or regulatory proposals. As part of the last review of night flying restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports, my Department commissioned the Civil Aviation Authority to undertake a review of literature on these impacts. The CAA published this review in January 2013 (Report ERCD 1208 on Aircraft Noise, Sleep Disturbance and Health Effects) and updated it in June 2014 (Report CAP 1164).

Heathrow Airport

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many letters he has received from local authorities (a) supporting and (b) opposing proposals for the expansion of Heathrow in the last five years.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Our records indicate that from 2010 to now the Department received 1670 letters which mention Heathrow airport. These records are not logged by local authority or in terms of support/opposition to Heathrow expansion and to provide this information would be at disproportionate cost.

Roads: Windsor

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to improve road safety in Windsor constituency since 2010.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Britain is a world leader in road safety, but we are always striving to improve. For example, from 2 March this year it is now an offence to drive with certain drugs in your body in excess of official limits. And measures in the deregulation bill will remove the driver’s right to demand a blood or urine test if they fail a breathalyser test. The Department issued revised guidance in January 2013 aimed mainly at local traffic authorities who are responsible for setting speed limits on local roads. It has also been designed to help explain to everyone why and how local speed limits are determined. This circular has been revised following full public consultation in summer 2012. Traffic authorities set local speed limits in situations where local needs and conditions suggest a speed limit which is lower than the national speed limit. They have the flexibility to set local speed limits that are appropriate for the individual road, reflecting local needs and taking account of local considerations.

Heathrow Airport

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the management of Heathrow Airport have used dispensations under section 78(4) of the Civil Aviation Act to allow night flights in the last five years.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Heathrow Airport publishes this information in its Flight Performance Reports which are available on its website. Its latest published report (Q3 2014) includes data from Winter season 2006/07 up to and including Winter season 2013/14. Dispensations issued under section 78(4) of the Civil Aviation Act are categorised in the report as ‘not counted – delays’ or ‘not counted - emergency’. In Summer season 2014 there were a further 296 dispensations issued under section 78(4).

Heathrow Airport

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many aircraft taking off or landing at Heathrow Airport breached night flight restrictions in (a) 2012, (b) 2013 and (c) 2014.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Night flying restrictions set by the Government at Heathrow comprise a movement limit and a noise quota limit set for each summer and winter season. Up to 10% of unused movements or noise quota may be carried over to the next season. The limits apply to the period 23.30-06.00. There are additional restrictions on movements by the noisiest aircraft in the period 23.00-07.00. None of these restrictions was breached between 2012-2014. In addition the Government sets departure noise limits which include lower limits at night. Infringements of these limits are reported in Heathrow’s Flight Performance Reports published on its website, the latest of which covers the period up to the end of September 2014.

Home Office

Health

Mike Kane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the conclusions of the report, Childhood happiness and violence: a retrospective study of their impacts on adult wellbeing, published by the Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University.

Lynne Featherstone: Home Office Ministers and officials consider a wide range of evidence, including academic reports, while formulating policy. They also have regard to diverse views through public and cross-Government consultation. Home Office officials have no record of any specific research or analysis undertaken in relation to this particular report.

Immigration

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of leave to remain applications have been treated as falling outside normal service standards in each six-month period in the last four years.

James Brokenshire: New service standards have applied to leave to remain applications submitted to UK Visas and Immigration on or after 1 January 2014. Comparing the performance against new service standards to the performance against previous service standards is not possible given the change in methodology at that time. However, reporting on UK Visas and Immigration’s performance against service standards is now more detailed than prior to 1 January 2014 and can be found in the temporary and permanent migration section of the quarterly migration transparency data release, available at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-dataInformation about what UK Visas and Immigration’s published service standards are and how applications that have been excluded from service standards are categorised is available in the ‘Notes’ tab of the temporary and permanent migration data.Information on how many applications were concluded within service standards is available at tab ‘InC2’.Information on how many applications did not meet the service standard and how many applications were excluded from the service standard is available at tab ‘InC5’.

Advertising

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's advertising and communications expenditure was in each month since September 2014; and what that expenditure is forecast to be in March 2015.

Karen Bradley: My Department is responsible for cross-Government communication as set out in the Annual Government Communication Plan. As part of our long-term economic plan we have substantially reformed Government communications since the 2010 General Election, abolishing the Central Office of Information and ensuring that Government communications activity is better coordinated and more effective. Thanks to these reforms we have halved the cost to taxpayers of government communications since the 2010 General Election. The NAO has confirmed that Government made savings of £378 million in each of the last two financial years on proactive paid-for communications, compared to a 2009-10 baseline. This is based on proactive (paid-for) communications spend of £589 millionin 2009/10, £216million in 2012/13 and £210m in 2013/14.My department regularly publishes data on: www.data.gov.uk showing how public money has been spent and how government is performing against its objectives and goals.

Radicalism

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which Muslim groups her Department has met to discuss the Prevent strategy in the last 24 months.

James Brokenshire: We work with a range of key partners across the country, including organisations representing Muslims, to tackle a variety of issues of radicalisation and extremism. We run Prevent-related programmes in local government, health, education, prisons, youth justice, immigration and charities. Since early 2012, Prevent local projects have reached over 55,000 people. Many of these projects include working with Muslims and organisations that represent Muslims. We work with local partners and propose suitable local Prevent projects, which include, for example, projects in madrassahs.No recent formal assessment has been made of community feedback on the Prevent strategy but we seek the views of British Muslims on specific issues relating to Prevent

Radicalism

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward proposals for an independent review of the effectiveness of the Prevent strategy.

James Brokenshire: Since this Government fundamentally revised the Prevent strategy in June 2011, Prevent activity has become more efficient and focused. Prevent is an effective programme in reducing the risk of vulnerable individuals being drawn into terrorism and extremism. We have removed over 75,000 pieces of illegal terrorist material from the internet, our local projects have reached over 55,000 people, and we have trained over trained over 130,000 public sector workers. We report on Prevent delivery annually through the CONTEST Annual report which was last published April 2014.The Home Office receives and responds to a large volume of correspondence in relation to the effectiveness of Prevent, from a wide range of organisations, members of the public, parliamentarians and journalists.

Policy

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what policies contained in the 2010 Coalition Agreement and falling under her Department's responsibilities have not yet been implemented; and what the reasons are for each such policy's non-implementation.

James Brokenshire: I refer the Hon Gentlemen to Departmental Business Plans which record all commitments, timescales for completion and progress against them. The Business Plans are fully transparent and are available at: www.transparency.number10.gov.uk

Asylum: Syria

Mrs Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have settled in the UK under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Scheme to date.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 16 March 2015



In the year ending December 2014, 143 individuals have relocated to the UK under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme. This is in addition to nearly 4,000 Syrian nationals and dependants to whom we have granted asylum or other forms of leave since the crisis began.The Home Office publishes statistics on the number of people relocating to the UK under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation scheme in Table as_19 (Asylum data table Volume 4) of the quarterly Immigration Statistics release. A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics October – December 2014, is available from:https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.

Asylum: Syria

Mrs Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the Government's Syrian refugee resettlement policy in relation to the number of people seeking refuge; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 16 March 2015



The Government is deeply concerned about the crisis in Syria, the suffering and hardship it is causing for millions of displaced Syrians in the region, and the strain it is placing on their host countries. That is why we launched the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme, offering protection in the UK to some of the most vulnerable refugees, who cannot be supported effectively in the region. The scheme is based on need rather than fulfilling a quota, but we have said that we expect it to help several hundred people over three years, and we remain on track to deliver that commitment. We therefore have no current plans to change the way the scheme operates. However, we continue to monitor the situation in Syria and the surrounding region and work closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to identify the most vulnerable people displaced by the conflict to ensure that the scheme remains responsive to need.However given the scale of the crisis, we believe the most effective way to ensure the UK’s help has the greatest impact for displaced people and their host countries is through substantial humanitarian aid and actively seeking an end to the conflict so that refugees can return to their homes and livelihoods safely. We have committed £800 million in response to the crisis, making us the second largest bilateral donor in the world, and UK funding is helping to support hundreds of thousands of displaced people in the region, providing food, healthcare and essential supplies. Compared with aid, resettlement can only ever help a minority of those in need.

Terrorism: British Nationals Abroad

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her most recent estimate is of the number of British nationals suspected to have left the UK to join Islamic extremist groups in other countries.

James Brokenshire: We have stated publicly that around 600 people from the UK who are of interest to the security services are thought to have travelled from the UK to the region of Syria and Iraq since the start of the conflict. Given our longstanding policy not to comment on intelligence matters, we are unable to comment further on travel by British nationals to join extremist groups abroad.

Rape

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of reported rape cases were referred to the Crown Prosecution Service for a decision on prosecution in each of the last five years.

Lynne Featherstone: Holding answer received on 16 March 2015



The Home Office does not hold the information requested. The Home Office collects data on the number of rapes recorded by the police, but does not hold information on the rapes reported to the police or on the number of cases referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The CPS holds and publishes information on the number of rape case referrals for a pre-charge decision they receive from the police.Information on the number of rape referrals by the police to the CPS can be found at this link: http://www.cps.gov.uk/data/violence_against_women/rape_key_findings_13_14/rape_table_1_pre_charge_decisions_0708_1314.csv

Sexual Offences

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that sex offenders are monitored and that their whereabouts is always known.

Lynne Featherstone: Holding answer received on 16 March 2015



Anyone convicted of a relevant offence automatically becomes subject to the sex offender notification requirements to manage the risk they pose. Such offenders are monitored and managed by the police under the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). Monitoring the whereabouts of these individuals is an operational matter for the police and a range of checks and legislative measures, including civil preventative orders, are available so the police know where these offenders are and can manage them effectively.We work closely with the police to continually monitor the system of notification requirements and civil orders in order to ensure officers have the powers they need to protect the public.This Government has strengthened the system for monitoring sex offenders. In 2012, we extended the notification requirements, and on 8 March 2015, we replaced the previous powers used by police to protect the public from sexual harm with two new orders: the sexual harm prevention order and the sexual risk order. The grounds upon which these orders can be made are now wider, and for the sexual harm prevention order, the threshold applied to protect people from harm has been lowered. The available prohibitions which can be attached to both orders are also wider, allowing for foreign travel restrictions to be imposed. In addition, for the first time, both orders can be applied for by the National Crime Agency, as well as the police.

Mediterranean Sea

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her estimate is of the number of deaths amongst refugees in the Mediterranean in the first two months of (a) 2015, (b) 2014 and (c) 2013.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 16 March 2015



The Government has not made an estimate as to the number of people who have drowned attempting the crossing in these periods. All deaths of this nature are a matter of extreme regret and the Government is determined to do all it can with international partners to reduce the flow of illegal migrants taking such risks and to combat the organised criminals who are making huge profits by exploiting vulnerable people. The Government is taking action at a national and international level to find sustainable solutions, for example through regional protection initiativesand the new Khartoum Process, a joint EU and African Union initiative supportingdialogue and concrete cooperation to tackle people smuggling and human trafficking in the Horn of Africa.

Offenders: Deportation

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average number of days taken to remove a foreign national offender was in 2014.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 16 March 2015



The information requested is available at :https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-enforcement-data-february-2015

Homophobia

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of homophobic hate crime there were in (a) Streatham constituency, (b) each London borough and (c) the UK in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: All forms of hate crime are deplorable and it’s important that victims are protected and have the confidence to come forward. The Government is driving forward work to tackle hostility and hate crime. We have toughened up sentencing and are working closely with the police and other agencies to increase reporting, improve support and prevent these terrible crimes happening in the first place. We continue to work with our voluntary sector partners to raise awareness of hate crime at local and national events, and explore opportunities to promote the use of the True Vision web tool further, including through targeted social media advertising with direct messages to specific groups.The Government’s action plan on hate crime, published in 2012, and progress report, published in May 2014, outline actions currently being taken by the Government to tackle hate crime, as well as the many actions which have already been completed. The Home Office has collected information on the number of disability and sexual orientation hate crimes recorded by the police at the police force area level since 2011/12. Data are therefore available for the Metropolitan police area and for England and Wales for the three years, 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14. The available information is given in the Table.Number of sexual orientation and disability hate crimes recorded by the police in the Metropolitan police area and England and Wales, 2011/12 to 2013/14 Numbers  England and Wales, recorded crime  2011/122012/132013/14 Sexual orientation hate crimesMetropolitan police1,2341,1321,213 England and Wales4,362 4,261 4,622   Disability hate crimesMetropolitan police120108124 England and Wales1,757 1,843 1,985  Source: Police recorded crime, Home Office   Further information on hate crimes, including force level figures, can be found at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crimes-england-and-wales-2013-to-2014

Crime: Disability

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of disability hate crime there were in (a) Streatham constituency, (b) each London borough and (c) the UK in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: All forms of hate crime are deplorable and it’s important that victims are protected and have the confidence to come forward. The Government is driving forward work to tackle hostility and hate crime. We have toughened up sentencing and are working closely with the police and other agencies to increase reporting, improve support and prevent these terrible crimes happening in the first place. We continue to work with our voluntary sector partners to raise awareness of hate crime at local and national events, and explore opportunities to promote the use of the True Vision web tool further, including through targeted social media advertising with direct messages to specific groups.The Government’s action plan on hate crime, published in 2012, and progress report, published in May 2014, outline actions currently being taken by the Government to tackle hate crime, as well as the many actions which have already been completed. The Home Office has collected information on the number of disability and sexual orientation hate crimes recorded by the police at the police force area level since 2011/12. Data are therefore available for the Metropolitan police area and for England and Wales for the three years, 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14. The available information is given in the Table. Number of sexual orientation and disability hate crimes recorded by the police in the Metropolitan police area and England and Wales, 2011/12 to 2013/14 Numbers  England and Wales, recorded crime  2011/122012/132013/14 Sexual orientation hate crimesMetropolitan police1,2341,1321,213 England and Wales4,362 4,261 4,622   Disability hate crimesMetropolitan police120108124 England and Wales1,757 1,843 1,985  Source: Police recorded crime, Home OfficeFurther information on hate crimes, including force level figures, can be found at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crimes-england-and-wales-2013-to-2014

Mental Illness

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress she has made on the implementation of recommendations of the Report of the Independent Commission on Mental Health and Policing, published in May 2013.

Mike Penning: The Independent Commission on Mental Health and Policing was commissioned by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner in relation to mental health issues in London. It is therefore the responsibility of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to implement the recommendations. I am aware that the MPS has undertaken considerable work both on the Commission’s recommendations and enhancing its response to those experiencing mental ill health. Many of the issues raised in the report have wider national applicability and the Home Office has worked jointly with the Department of Health, police and local health partners on a wide range of measures to improve the way in which those experiencing a mental health crisis can be assisted. These include the introduction of the Crisis Care Concordat in February 2014 now being implemented in all local areas and which defines the roles and responsibilities of local partners in respect of those experiencing mental ill health thereby improving the speed and effectiveness of their responses. They also include the roll out of Liaison and Diversion schemes in police custody and the courts,which from April this year will cover 50% of the population of England; street triage schemes which have reduced by around a quarter the number of police arrests under section 136 of the mental health act and reduced the frequency of use of police cells as places of safety for those so detained; and the launch of an innovative pilot of an alternative place of safety in Sussex to increase local capacity. The Home Office and Department of Health recently jointly reviewed the operation of Mental Health Act powers and the resulting report published in December 2014 made clear our intention to amend relevant legislation, including making it unlawful to use police cells as places of safety for those under 18. In addition, the Home Secretary commissioned a further inspection by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary of the treatment of vulnerable people in police custody (which reported on 10 March). In October, the Home Secretary announced a review of police data on the use of powers under the Mental Health Act and the use of force to improve our knowledge of, and the transparency of, police actions in respect of the mentally ill. The College of Policing is conducting a thorough review of relevant training, and work is underway to transfer custody health care commissioning from the police to NHS England from next year.

Prostitution: Greater London

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the level of street prostitution in (a) Streatham constituency, (b) each London borough and (c) the UK; and what steps she is taking to protect women working in street prostitution through (i) facilitating safe exit programmes and (ii) other measures.

Lynne Featherstone: The Home Office does not collate information on the levels of prostitution. Local areas and police forces are in the best position to identify and respond to issues around prostitution in their area. We are committed to tackling the harm and exploitation that can be associated with prostitution, and believe that people who want to leave prostitution should be given every opportunity to find routes out. The safety of people involved in prostitution is our overriding concern. This was one of the aspects considered in our review of effective practice to support partners in tackling issues around prostitution, and which was published on Gov.uk. In addition, we are proud to have supported the establishment of the National ‘Ugly Mugs’ Scheme to help protect people involved in prostitution from violent and abusive individuals. A Home Office funded pilot brought together a number of locally-run ‘Ugly Mugs’ projects, which encourage sex workers to report incidents of violence and abuse. Details of perpetrators are then shared with other people involved in prostitution to help improve safety, and can be passed on to the police if the victim consents.

Stun Guns

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of people on whom tasers were used by the police in (a) each London borough, (b) each police authority and (c) in the UK were aged (i) under 12, (ii) under 14, (iii) under 16, (iv) under 18, (v) under 21, (vi) under 24, (vii) over 35, (viii) over 40, (ix) over 50, (x) over 55, (xi) over 60, (xii) over 65, (xiii) over 70, (xiv) over 75 and (xv) over 80 in the last five years; and what proportion of those people were (A) from each ethnic group and (B) estimated to have had mental health problems.

Mike Penning: The cost of identifying the information and providing it in the format requested would be disproportionate.The Home Secretary already set out in October 2014 that there is a need to bring much greater transparency and accountability to how the sensitive tactic of Taser is used, and has asked Chief Constable David Shaw to conduct anin-depth review of the publication of Taser data and other use of force. This review will consider how to publish data on the age, ethnicity and location of Taser usage for publication.

Islamic State

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what counter-terrorism measures she has put in place to counter the threat of Islamic State.

James Brokenshire: This Government has put in place a range of counter-terrorism measures to protect the public and British interests from all forms of terrorism, including that posed by ISIL. Our priority is to dissuade people from travelling to areas of conflict in the first place. To this end, our Prevent Strategy includes work to identify and support individuals at risk of radicalisation. The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act, which received Royal Assent last month, added to existing powers by: disrupting the ability of people to travel abroad to fight, and to return here; enhancing our ability to monitor and control the actions of those in the UK that pose a threat; and combating the underlying ideology that feeds, supports and sanctions terrorism. The fight against Islamist extremist terrorism is not just one that we can wage by the police and border controls. It needs every school, every university, every college, every community to recognise they have a role to play. The Prevent duty contained in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act requires specified authorities to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.

Firearms: Smuggling

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many illegal firearms were seized on arrival in the UK in each of the last two years.

James Brokenshire: This government is doing more than any previous government to disrupt organised crime and protect the security of the border. Border Force was split from the failing UK Border Agency in 2012 and re-established security as the priority. Border Force adopts an intelligence-led approach to all of its customs activity, including searching for firearms, so that resources can be deployed as effectively as possible. This work is a key aspect of the Government’s approach to tackling organised crime and countering terrorism. The National Crime Agency and Border Force work tirelessly to target the criminal groups behind smuggling.The number of illegal firearms seized in each of the last two years is as follows: YearNumber of firearms seized (units)2013/142832012/13463 The numbers of firearms seized at the border fluctuates on a yearly basis. This can be attributed to a range of factors including the fact that organised crime groups regularly change which countries they seek to smuggle weapons into. Any changes in the numbers of firearms seized at the border does not mean there has been a corresponding increase or decrease in the numbers that enter the UK after not being detected at the border.

Care Homes: Death

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Supreme Court judgment of 19 March 2014 in the case of P v Cheshire West and Chester Council and another, what estimate she has made of costs for each police area of attending after deaths in care homes of people subject to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Assessments.

Lynne Featherstone: Holding answer received on 16 March 2015



The Home Office has made no assessment of the costs to police of attending such incidents. The amount spent on such incidents is a matter for individual Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables.

Religiously Aggravated Offences: Lancashire

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of anti-Muslim hate crime near schools have been reported to police in Lancashire and Preston since 7 January 2015.

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of anti-Muslim hate crime were reported to the police in Preston and Lancashire in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

Lynne Featherstone: All forms of hate crime are deplorable and it’s important that victims are protected and have the confidence to come forward. The Government is driving forward work to tackle hostility and hate crime. We have toughened up sentencing and are working closely with the police and other agencies to increase reporting, improve support and prevent these terrible crimes happening in the first place. We continue to work with our voluntary sector partners to raise awareness of hate crime at local and national events, and explore opportunities to promote the use of the True Vision web tool further, including through targeted social media advertising with direct messages to specific groups.The Government’s action plan on hate crime, published in 2012, and progress report, published in May 2014, outline actions currently being taken by the government to tackle hate crime, as well as the many actions which have already been completed. The Home Office does not hold the requested information. The Home Office receives data on hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales for the five centrally monitored strands (race, religion, sexual orientation, disability and gender identity) but these data cannot be broken down by religion of the victim. Furthermore, it is not possible to identify whether a hate crime took place near a school from the information the Home Office receives from the police.

Offenders: Deportation

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign national offenders have been removed from the UK since 2010; and how many foreign national offenders are in the process of being removed from the UK under new powers in the Immigration Act 2014.

James Brokenshire: We have removed more than 23,000 foreign national offenders from the UK since 2010.Between July 2014 to December 2014, 2,337 had their cases processed under the new powers of the Immigration Act 2014.

Offenders: Deportation

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to restrict the power of the courts to order convicted criminals awaiting deportation to relocate within the UK.

James Brokenshire: The Immigration Act 1971 provides the First Tier Tribunal, or an immigration officer, with the power to release a person on bail pending removal. The conditions attached to bail can include a requirement that the person be relocated. We would not wish to seek to place a statutory limit on the ability of the Tribunal to make relocation a condition of bail, as it would reduce the ability of the Tribunal to manage the bail process effectively.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Ukraine

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance the Government has given to the government of Ukraine against Russian aggression.

Mr David Lidington: On his visit to Kyiv on 5 March, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) met President Poroshenko and other senior Ukrainian government officials and underlined strongly the UK’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and the importance of maintaining pressure on Russia until full implementation of the Minsk agreements has been achieved. The UK wishes to avoid a path of confrontation with Russia and strongly supports all diplomatic efforts to bring a peaceful solution to the crisis in Ukraine. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the member for Witney (Mr Cameron) also discussed the situation in Ukraine with President Poroshenko on 12 and 15 February and agreed on the handling of the UN Security Council resolution which called for full implementation of the Minsk agreements. In addition to diplomatic support, the UK is providing practical assistance to Ukraine. The UK is providing £10 million in technical assistance to support economic and governance reforms in Ukraine, and to provide humanitarian assistance. In response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation an additional £15 million of humanitarian support to Ukraine was announced by the Prime Minister on 23 February. Over the last year we have increased our defence engagement and are providing additional support on crisis management, anti-corruption, defence reform, strategic communications and we are now also providing advice on procurement. We provided two non-lethal packages of equipment, including protective gear, winter clothing, medical kits and winter fuel. We are now planning to send a third package, as well as sending short-term training teams to strengthen the capacity and resilience of the Ukraine Armed Forces. Our non-lethal equipment is designed to reduce further Ukrainian fatalities and casualties and to help improve situational awareness on the ground.

Islamic State

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking in conjunction with its international partners to defeat ISIS.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We are part of a Global Coalition with over sixty members committed to defeating ISIL. We are supporting inclusive governance in Iraq and Syria, jointly leading the coalition’s efforts to counter ISIL’s narrative, working to disrupt its access to finance and foreign fighters, and providing military support to Iraqi forces fighting ISIL. The UK is also providing humanitarian assistance to those affected by ISIL’s brutality and will contribute to the Syrian Opposition Train and Equip Programme. We are providing £800 million worth of humanitarian aid in response to the crisis in Syria, which is the largest UK response to a humanitarian crisis.

Commonwealth

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the success of Commonwealth Day.

Mr Hugo Swire: Commonwealth Day was marked successfully by a range of activities in the UK and other Commonwealth countries. There were celebratory messages from Her Majesty The Queen, the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond). I represented Her Majesty's Government at the multi-faith Observance at Westminster Abbey attended by Her Majesty The Queen, members of the Royal family, and over 2,000 participants including High Commissioners, dignitaries from around the Commonwealth and 1,000 young people from schools across the UK. Our High Commissions across the world also actively promoted and celebrated Commonwealth Week. The Commonwealth theme for 2015 ‘A Young Commonwealth’ was promoted across the Commonwealth with an increased use of social media. The hashtag #commonwealthday reached over 2.5 million followers on twitter accounts with over 1,400 tweets published to date.

Russia

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to President Putin on the death of Boris Nemtsov.

Mr David Lidington: We are deeply concerned by the appalling murder of Boris Nemtsov, who stood for democracy, rule of law, freedom of expression, and a state accountable to the people. Sir John Major attended the memorial in Moscow on 3 March on behalf of the Government. We call upon the Russian authorities to ensure that the investigation into the murder is transparent, impartial, and evidence-based, and that those responsible are brought to justice in line with the rule of law.

Bahrain

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to include Bahrain as a country of concern in his Department's next Human Rights and Democracy Report.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Bahrain has been designated as a country case study in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's 2014 Human Rights and Democracy Report, as such we will continue to monitor the human rights situation in Bahrain and issue a biannual assessment. There has been progress with the reforms put in place in Bahrain and the UK will continue to assist the Court of Bahrain in areas such judicial reforms. We assess every country, where we have human rights concerns, before the end of each calendar year for possible inclusion as a country of concern in the annual human rights report. The next global assessment will therefore take place shortly before the end of 2015.

Libya

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to assist the improvement of domestic security and public protection in Libya.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We strongly support the efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya, Bernardino Leon, and the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), to resolve the political and security crisis and pave the way for peaceful political dialogue.Our commitment to Libya is reflected by the Prime Minister’s appointment of a Special Envoy to the Political Transition, Jonathan Powell. Our Envoy and the UK Diplomatic network are working hard with key Libyan interlocutors and international partners to support UN efforts to facilitate a fully inclusive dialogue to reach a lasting political agreement.The UK welcomed the dialogue talks hosted by UNSMIL in Rabat, Algeria and Brussels. We urge all participants to attend further talks with goodwill and adopt inclusive policies, to lay the foundations for a Government of National Unity. The UK is actively exploring with EU and other partners how best we can support a new National Unity Government. The improvement of the security situation in Libya is a crucial ingredient for its success.

Libya

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help reduce the number of kidnappings by ISIL in Libya.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Our Travel Advice has consistently highlighted the threat from terrorism and from kidnapping in Libya, and advises against all travel to the country on that basis. Since the emergence of ISIL in Libya we have added further information and advice to the FCO Travel Advice. We have taken steps to contact all British Nationals and companies, who we believe may be in Libya, to advise them of these changes, and that they should consider leaving the country immediately.

Ukraine: Russia

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of President Putin's statement that the Russian annexation of Crimea was planned before the referendum on self-determination.

Mr David Lidington: UK policy, which is fully in line with our international partners including the EU and US, has not changed. We do not, and will not, recognise the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia. Russia’s intervention in Ukraine represents a flagrant violation of a number of its international commitments. That is why Russia has been isolated in the Security Council and in the wider international community. Our message to Russia remains constant: return Crimea to Ukraine. Until Moscow does so, it can expect the EU’s Crimea sanctions to remain in place.

Bahrain

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what technical assistance his Department has provided to the government of Bahrain in addition to the support and training already provided to the Ombudsman Office, the Special Investigations Unit and the judiciary.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: There has been progress in the reform programme being put in place in Bahrain. The UK Government has been and will continue to support the Government of Bahrain in implementing its human rights and political reform programme through the provision of technical assistance, training, and sharing best practice sharing. In addition to the support that we are already providing to the Ombudsman Office, the Special Investigations Unit and the judiciary, we are engaged on a number of projects including capacity building engagement with youth Non-Governmental Organisations and working on reform of the security sector and the youth justice system.

Egypt

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Egyptian counterpart  on human rights violations in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: I raised our human rights concerns with Ministerial interlocutors in the Egyptian Government during my trade mission to Egypt in January. This included a wide-ranging discussion with the Prime Minister of Egypt where I was clear that the UK Government wanted to see the rule of law, transparency and respect for human rights strengthened in Egypt. I also met the Minister of Defence and stressed the importance of taking into account the social and economic development needs of the local population when tackling genuine security threats in the Sinai.I also regularly discuss human rights with the Egyptian Ambassador in London. Most recently, on 4 February I raised strong concerns about the case of 183 individuals who had their death sentences confirmed by an Egyptian court. I stressed the importance of respecting the human rights of defendants in all cases.We continue to believe that stability and prosperity in Egypt is dependent on open and inclusive politics and on full respect for the rights contained in the Egyptian constitution. That is why in recent months Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have asked the Egyptian authorities to take action to release journalists and political detainees who remain imprisoned, to review mass judicial decisions, and to remove restrictions on civil society.

Burma

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the security situation in Myanmar following the arrest of protestors on 10 March 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Hugo Swire: We are concerned by the violence which took place in Letpadan Burma, on 10 March. This follows the use of force, and the use of irregular security groups, to break up a peaceful protest in Rangoon on 5 March. These events have overshadowed the long period of disciplined policing in relation to these protests. The exact circumstances leading to these clashes remain unclear, and the UK supports the EU’s call for a formal investigation to be initiated swiftly. The government of Burma has announced an investigation into the events of 5 March. The development of a professional police force that respects and upholds human rights and the rule of law is fundamental to Burma’s transition to full democracy.

Ukraine

Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether there is a Defence Attaché in post in the British Embassy in Ukraine.

Mr David Lidington: There is a Defence Attaché in post in the British Embassy in Ukraine.

Western Sahara

Mr Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on how many (a) Saharawi people and (b) Moroccan settlers live in the part of Western Sahara under Moroccan control.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The population of Western Sahara is approximately 540,000 (UN, 2012). We are not aware of any accurate data on the composition of the population.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Higher Education: Leeds

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many young people living in (a) Leeds and (b) Leeds Central constituency entered higher education in each of the last 20 years.

Greg Clark: Holding answer received on 05 February 2015



The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) publishes young participation rates by Parliamentary Constituency. These show the proportion of young people in each parliamentary constituency who entered higher education by the age of 19, for each cohort of 18 year olds between 1998 and 2011. These can be viewed at the following link:   http://www.hefce.ac.uk/analysis/yp/trendsyp/pment/   The statistics will be updated to include the 2012 cohort of 18 year olds in the Summer.

Higher Education: Bradford

Mr David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many students have gone to university from Bradford in each year between 2001 and 2014.

Greg Clark: Holding answer received on 11 February 2015



The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) publishes young participation rates by Parliamentary Constituency. These show the proportion of young people in each parliamentary constituency who entered higher education by the age of 19, for each cohort of 18 year olds between 1998 and 2011. These can be viewed at the following link:   http://www.hefce.ac.uk/analysis/yp/trendsyp/pment/   The statistics will be updated to include the 2012 cohort of 18 year olds in the Summer.

Higher Education: Research

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much capital and revenue research funding was awarded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England to institutions in each government office region in England in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14 and (e) 2014-15.

Greg Clark: The Higher Education Funding Council for England's announced allocations to institutions for each of the specified years can be accessed via the links below.Recurrent allocations are available here, or using the links on this page: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/whatwedo/invest/institns/annallocns/ Capital allocations are available in a number of places: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/whatwedo/invest/funds/capital/ http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/year/2008/200804/name,63740,en.html http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/year/2011/cl112011/name,62768,en.html http://www.hefce.ac.uk/whatwedo/rsrch/howfundr/ukrpif/ http://www.hefce.ac.uk/whatwedo/invest/funds/catalyst/ http://www.hefce.ac.uk/whatwedo/rsrch/pastinits/orsas/ http://www.hefce.ac.uk/whatwedo/rsrch/rinfrastruct/museums/

Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in his Department responded that they were treated fairly at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Jo Swinson: In the 2014 People Survey, 71% of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) respondents declaring a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work.   80% of BIS respondents declaring that they did not have a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work.   Overall, the BIS score for the ‘Inclusion and fair treatment’ survey theme were in line with the Civil Service benchmark (75% positive). 78% of all BIS respondents reported that they had been treated fairly at work in the past 12 months, compared to 79% of respondents in the Civil Service.   Actions to improve results include: Delivering the Civil Service Talent Action Plan and the BIS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) Strategy to continue to build an increasingly inclusive Department where everyone is treated fairly. This includes actions relating to disability, which is identified as a priority demographic within the Department. Examples of deliverables under the Plan and Strategy include:   o The appointment of disability, race and gender champions at Director level to work with our Board level ED&I Champion and the Diversity Networks to support and highlight barriers so they can be addressed at an early stage. o Professor Binna Kandola ran 3 unconscious bias sessions for managers last autumn to raise greater diversity awareness and address issues across BIS. o Mandated unconscious bias e-learning for all line managers to ensure that we attain a baseline of awareness across all BIS managers. o Piloting non-executive board members’ providing coaching and mentoring to under-represented SCS staff. o Launched a Reverse Mentoring programme where 2 Directors General and 6 Directors receive mentoring from a junior BME and/or disabled member of staff. The programme aims to lead to more inclusive decision making and a better understanding of perceptions and behaviour. Providing further guidance and information to staff and managers on our approach to performance management to mitigate against a more robust system potentially being misinterpreted as unfair treatment, bullying or harassment.   Engaging staff in Groups through e.g. surveys and conversations, to identify particular areas of concern, causes, and potential actions to take forward locally.   Points to note:The Civil Service People Survey asks the question “Do you have any long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability?” The survey does not include a question that specifically identifies disability status.

Apprentices

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress the Government has made on ensuring that apprenticeships are recognised as having equivalent value to university degrees.

Nick Boles: We have already seen more than 2.1 million apprenticeship starts during this Parliament. Higher Apprenticeships are offering a real alternative to university, providing opportunities to gain a degree whilst working. There are currently over 50 available with more being developed. During 2013/14 there were 18,100 participating in Higher Apprenticeships, a 40% increase on the previous year. £20m has been made available over 2014-15 and 2015-16 to support employer investment in apprenticeships up to postgraduate level. An additional £40m has also been provided to deliver 20,000 higher apprenticeship starts over the academic years 2013/14 and 2014/15. Degree Apprenticeships are a new model of higher Apprenticeships involving employers, universities and relevant professional bodies working in partnership. We announced nine Degree Apprenticeships on 12 March. These are in Chartered Surveying; Electronic Systems Engineering; Aerospace Engineering; Aerospace Software Development; Defence Systems Engineering; Laboratory Science; Nuclear; Power Systems and Public Relations. Places will be available from September 2015. New statutory guidance for schools on careers and inspiration became effective from September 2014. The guidance makes it clear that schools should give employers and other providers delivering apprenticeships the opportunity to inform pupils directly about what they offer. It emphasises that apprenticeships and university offer two equally effective routes to a successful career.

Money Lenders

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of trends in illegal money lending; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to assess changes in the number of people using illegal lending sources as a result of new regulations and the annual levy on payday loan companies.

Jo Swinson: The Department does not hold information relating to changes in the number of people using illegal lending sources as a result of new regulations and the annual levy on payday loan companies. However, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) works closely with the national Trading Standards Illegal Money Lending Teams (IMLTs) across the UK to monitor trends and police the market, and both have the powers to take action where necessary, including the ability to prosecute those who are found guilty to be lending illegally.I am well aware of the misery inflicted on often vulnerable consumers by loan sharks. That is why this financial year (2014/15) the Department has provided £15 million in funding to the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) and Trading Standards Scotland (TSS). The NTSB the TSS utilise specialist expertise to tackle the worst rogue traders, including the illegal money lenders. In addition to apprehending loan sharks, the NTSB and TSS engage in valuable educational work, equipping vulnerable groups of consumers to avoid the clutches of illegal money lenders.Both NTSB and TSS regularly report emerging developments to the Department, along with their successes. Since April 2012 £1.5 million in cash has been seized from illegal money lenders, and 47 individuals have received custodial sentences.

Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many cases were referred to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for each higher education institution by students of each (a) gender and (b) ethnic origin in each of the last five years; and how many of those cases concerned (i) undergraduate and (ii) postgraduate students.

Greg Clark: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Overseas Trade: Turkey

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to support the development of business and skills that will assist the UK in further developing trade links with Turkey.

Matthew Hancock: The Government is supporting the development of trade links with Turkey through Ministerial and high level official engagement including the Joint Economic Committee (JETCO) with Turkey, High Value Opportunity (HVO) campaigns that position UK companies as partners of choice, partnership with the British Chamber of Commerce in Turkey and the GREAT campaign.

Department for International Development

Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in her Department responded that they were treated fairly at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Mr Desmond Swayne: In the 2014 People Survey, 72% of DFID’s respondents declaring a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work.   79% of DFID respondents declaring that they did not have a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work.

Developing Countries: Famine

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which countries experienced famine last year; and what assistance the UK provided to such countries.

Mr Desmond Swayne: There were no declarations of famine in 2014. A number of countries or regions reached the level below famine in the classification. These include: South Sudan, Sudan, and some rural, conflict-affected areas of Central African Republic. In May 2014 there were warnings of famine in conflict-affected areas of South Sudan. DFID has so far (December 2013-present) provided £135 million for humanitarian response in South Sudan, and £58 million to refugees in the region. DFID’s work in South Sudan and other areas at risk of acute food insecurity or famine continues to be informed by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) report on the 2010/2011 famine in the Horn of Africa. This recommended increased flexibility and early response, as well as approaches aimed at addressing chronic poverty and vulnerability. DFID has responded to this developing multi-year humanitarian approaches aimed at linking humanitarian and development work to maximise coordination, complementarity, impact and sustainability, and at building community resilience to shocks.

Department for Education

Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in her Department responded that they were treated fairly at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Mr Nick Gibb: In the 2014 People Survey, 68% of Department for Education respondents declaring a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work.   84% of Department for Education respondents declaring that they did not have a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work.   There are actions already in place to help address the lower engagement felt by disabled staff which includes improving line manager capability and support, the effectiveness of the Department’s reasonable adjustments process and building the Departmental staff-led disability networks’ role in offering peer support. The disabled staff networks are currently being consulted on what further action can be taken to improve engagement of disabled staff.

Curriculum

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that teachers are fully engaged in the process of developing curriculums in schools.

Mr Nick Gibb: Headteachers are responsible for the curriculum in their school. They should work closely with their leadership team and teachers in designing their school curriculum. For maintained schools, the national curriculum forms part of the wider school curriculum. Teachers and schools represented over half of the respondents to our consultation in 2013 on proposals for the new national curriculum, which attracted over 4500 responses in total.

Schools: Somerset

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on who authorised EDF Energy to give presentations in schools on working in the nuclear energy sector in Somerset.

Mr Nick Gibb: The Government wants to see more schools and employers working together to help young people understand the world of work. This expectation has been set out in statutory guidance underpinning schools’ duty to secure independent careers guidance. Beyond the requirements set out in this document, it is at the discretion of each school as to how to configure their careers programme and which employers they choose to engage.

Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in her Department reported experiencing bullying or harassment at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Mr Nick Gibb: In the 2014 People Survey, 28% of Department for Education respondents declaring a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability reported that they had personally experienced bullying or harassment at work in the past 12 months.   11% of Department for Education respondents declaring that they did not have a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability reported that they had personally experienced bullying or harassment at work in the past 12 months.   There are actions already in place to help address the issue of bulling and harassment of disabled staff. This includes improving line manager capability and support, the effectiveness of the Department’s reasonable adjustments process and mandating of unconscious bias training for all managers. The disabled staff networks are currently being consulted on what further action can be taken to improve engagement of disabled staff.

Teachers: Pay

Mr Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what consideration the School Teachers Review Body has given to including salary sacrifice car schemes in the school teachers' pay and conditions document; and if she will make a statement.

Mr David Laws: Recent School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) referrals have focused on fundamental reforms to the overall pay and conditions framework for teachers. Following the STRB’s recommendations, these reforms have given schools much greater freedom to attract and retain the best teachers and to reward individuals in line with their contribution to improving their pupils’ achievements.   The demands on the STRB’s time and resources in the reform process mean that the government has had to make hard decisions on the issues it refers to STRB. In light of the focus of the important referrals above, the Department for Education has not prioritised revisions to the existing salary sacrifice arrangements for inclusion in recent STRB referrals. Future referrals to the STRB will be a matter for the next administration.

Teachers: Pay

Mr Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to introduce a salary sacrifice car scheme for teachers; and if she will make a statement.

Mr David Laws: Academies, including free schools, university technical colleges and studio schools, have the freedom to set their own pay and conditions policies. They are therefore free to offer their teachers access to car purchase salary sacrifice schemes. Currently, 15% of all primary schools and 62% of all secondary schools are academies. In local authority maintained schools, changes to the statutory pay and conditions of teachers must first be referred to the independent School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB). Recent STRB referrals have focused on fundamental reforms to the overall pay and conditions framework for teachers. Following the STRB’s recommendations, these reforms have given schools much greater freedom to attract and retain the best teachers and to reward individuals in line with their contribution to improving their pupils’ achievements. The demands on the STRB’s time and resources in the reform process mean that the government has had to make hard decisions on the issues it refers to STRB. In light of the focus of the important referrals above, the Department for Education has not prioritised revisions to the existing salary sacrifice arrangements. Future referrals to the STRB will be a matter for the next administration.

Intellectual Property

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will discuss with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills potential steps to support teachers in raising awareness among schoolchildren of the importance of intellectual property.

Mr Nick Gibb: Schools are required to teach a broad and balanced curriculum which prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. Our new national curriculum, introduced in September 2014, provides an outline of core knowledge around which teachers can develop stimulating lessons to promote the development of pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills as part of the wider school curriculum.   The new national curriculum gives teachers greater flexibility to teach topics that are appropriate and meet the needs of pupils, including the importance of intellectual property rights. It is for individual schools to decide what support and resources they wish to draw on in developing and teaching their school curriculum.

Free School Meals: Lancashire

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in Lancashire were eligible for but did not claim free school meals in the latest period for which figures are available.

Mr David Laws: The Department for Education routinely collects information on pupils who are claiming free school meals. This information is published in the ‘Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics: January 2014’ Statistical First Release.[1] It is not possible to identify the number of pupils who are eligible for but are not claiming free school meals from the data the department collects.   However, the department has published a research paper ‘Pupils not claiming free school meals: 2013’[2] which presents estimates of the numbers and proportions of pupils who are entitled to receive free school meals but are not claiming. The paper compares registration rates for children aged between 4 and 15 and highlights regions and local authorities where under-registration rates are high. Figures from this paper show the under-registration rate for Lancashire local authority is 6% (1,600 pupils).[1] www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2014[2] www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupils-not-claiming-free-school-meals-2013

School Teachers' Review Body

Mr Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she next plans to issue a remit to the School Teachers Review Body; and if she will make a statement.

Mr David Laws: Future remits to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) will be a matter for the next administration.   On 12 March 2015, the government published the STRB’s most recent report along with the government’s response. These documents are published online at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/school-teachers-review-body-strb-reports   The report makes recommendations on the pay award for teachers in 2015/16. The government has proposed to accept the STRB’s recommendations in full, subject to the views of statutory consultees. The STRB’s recommended approach will help schools to recruit and retain teachers, and reward high-performing experienced classroom teachers who contribute substantially to improved outcomes for their pupils.

Public Consultation

Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what public consultations her Department has conducted since January 2014; and how many responses her Department has received to each of those consultations.

Mr Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has conducted 49 consultations since January 2014, and has received a total of 12,891 responses. The list of consultations and the number of responses received is attached.



DfE 2104 consultations and response rates
(Word Document, 103 KB)

Students: North West

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department's spending was for each student in (a) Preston, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West in 2014.

Mr David Laws: The schools block unit of funding (SBUF), which covers pupils in national curriculum year groups reception to 11 aged 4 or above, was £4,486 for Lancashire and £4,535 for the North West region in financial year 2014 to 2015. The SBUF does not cover funding for early years or high needs pupils.

Citizenship: Education

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she will support the proposals of her French counterpart for including specific reference to anti-Semitism in citizenship education at the meeting of EU Ministers of Education in Paris on 17 March 2015.

Mr Nick Gibb: Lord Nash is attending the meeting of EU Ministers of Education in Paris on 17 March 2015. Along with Education Ministers from other Member States he plans to agree a declaration promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education.

Languages: Education

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the decision by Oxford Cambridge and RSA not to redevelop GCSE and A Level Turkish on the ability of students to acquire skills in Turkish; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Nick Gibb: The Government has been clear that it wants to see all pupils provided with the opportunity to take a core set of academic subjects, including modern foreign languages. There are considerable benefits to learning a second language and the Government is keen to see the range of languages at GCSE and A level preserved. It is, however, up to Awarding Organisations to decide which languages they want to continue offering as reformed GCSEs and A levels.

Ministry of Justice

Just Solutions International

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what consultant, non-executive directors and associates have worked with Just Solutions International since it was established; when each such person was appointed; and what the remuneration of each such person for that work is.

Andrew Selous: Just Solutions International (JSi) is a brand within the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) that the Agency adopted in early 2013. The Ministry of Justice contracted with PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for the provision of support for the development by NOMS of a business model to generate commercial income through the provision of advice and support to other governments on prison and probation issues. The contract was awarded to PwC in September 2012 and was for a period of 8 months from January to August 2013. The amount paid for the provision of services was £101,179 excluding VAT. A redacted version of the contract was published under the transparency agenda and can be found on the Contract Finder website at the following link:https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk:443/Common/View%20Notice.aspx?site=1000&lang=en&NoticeId=790687. In addition to this contract, NOMS, through JSi, worked with PwC in Pakistan supporting reform of Punjab prisons. The amount paid to PwC for their services was £7,308.40 excluding VAT by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Employment Tribunals Service

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average cost was of each case heard by an employment tribunal in each of the last three years.

Mr Shailesh Vara: Employment tribunal cases can vary in nature and complexity and some can last over more than one year, particularly where collective disputes are involved. Claims in employment tribunals can be classified into either single or multiple claims. Multiple claims are where two or more people bring proceedings arising out of the same facts, usually against a common employer. Where claims are grouped as multiples, they are processed administratively and managed judicially together. We call these groups of claims ‘multiple claims cases’. One multiple claim case would therefore involve two or more claims. Claims can be disposed of in a variety of ways, including being rejected either because they are out of time, or have no reasonable chance of success. A minority of cases are disposed of at a full hearing.There are therefore many ways the term an employment tribunal case can be interpreted. The costs directly attributable to each claim / case are not collected, as current systems do not allow us to link staff, judicial and other costs to claims / cases. As a result, it is not possible to provide average costs per case over the last three years on a comparable basis.

Prisoner Escapes

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2015 to Question 214939, for each of the 13 offenders who had escaped or absconded from prison more than once (a) which offences led to the offender receiving the original prison sentence, (b) what length of sentence each was serving at the time of the escape or abscond, (c) what the offender's previous criminal history was, (d) what offences were committed by the offender following the escape or abscond from prison before their return to custody and (e) what additional prison sentence was given for each escape or abscond.

Andrew Selous: Last year, we took decisive action to protect the public by changing the policy by which prisoners may be transferred to open conditions. Absconds and escapes have reached record lows under this Government, but we take each incident seriously. As a result of a comprehensive review, we made major changes to tighten the eligibility for open prisons. Prisoners may no longer be transferred to open conditions or allowed out on temporary release if they have previously absconded, escaped, attempted to escape, or if they have failed to return or have re-offended whilst released on temporary licence, unless there are exceptional circumstances. I cannot provide an answer to the question in the form requested, as the information could lead to identification of the individuals concerned. However, I can provide the following general information with regards to the 13 prisoners concerned. a) Absconders and Escapees in 2013/14 who had previously escaped or absconded from prison more than once, by offence group of main offenceOffence GroupNumber of offendersViolence against the person5Robbery8  b) Absconders and Escapees in 2013/14 who had previously escaped or absconded from prison more than once, by sentence typeSentence TypeNumber of offendersDeterminate sentence0  Indeterminate Sentence for Public Protection11Life2 c) The thirteen individuals had between 3 and 145 previous offences on their criminal record, averaging 35 offences. The thirteen individuals concerned were formally convicted for their offences; in the case of some of the thirteen, multiple offences are reflected in one conviction. d) and e) Three of the individuals committed five further offences between them following their abscond/escape. Two individuals committed three burglary offences between them, resulting in further sentences of 4 months and 30 months respectively. The third individual committed two robberies following his escape, resulting in a sentence of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) with a 30 month tariff. In addition, all but two of the 13 individuals received concurrent further sentences for the offences of abscond/escape, ranging from 4 months to 9 months. These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Employment Tribunals Service

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average cost to the public purse of an employment tribunal was in the 12 months (a) before and (b) after the introduction of fees.

Mr Shailesh Vara: It is not possible to provide the average costs to the public purse of an employment tribunals in the 12 months before and after the introduction of fees on a comparable basis, as explained in my answer to PQ 223678.

Intestacy

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of how many and what proportion of the population died without a will in each year since 2004.

Mr Shailesh Vara: There is no central record of whether individuals have a valid will when they die and we have made no estimate of what proportion of individuals die without a will.  The Government recognises that when someone dies without a will, it can mean that the individual’s wishes are not implemented and can leave the family with lengthy and costly court procedures. That is why we are running an awareness-raising campaign to encourage people to plan for the future which could include making a will and a Lasting Power of Attorney.

Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in his Department responded that they were treated fairly at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Mr Shailesh Vara: In the 2014 People Survey, 61% of Ministry of Justice respondents declaring a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work. 74% of Ministry of Justice respondents declaring that they did not have a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work.

Witnesses: Advocacy

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many requests for Registered Intermediary support there were for witnesses (a) under and (b) over 18 years old by (i) the police, (ii) the Crown Prosecution Service, (iii) defence lawyers, (iv) judges and (v) police area in (A) 2010, (B) 2011, (C) 2012, (D) 2013 and (E) 2014; and what the successful matching was for each such category of requester.

Mike Penning: Recent work by the Ministry of Justice has highlighted the potential increase in future demand of Registered Intermediaries which is why we are currently in the process of undertaking a recruitment exercise aimed at doubling the number of Registered Intermediaries available to help vulnerable victims. The table attached gives a breakdown of the requested data.



Breakdown of Registered Intermediary Cases 10-14
(Excel SpreadSheet, 74 KB)

Witnesses: Advocacy

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of level of demand for Registered Intermediaries and the numbers available to meet that demand over the last five years.

Mike Penning: Demand for the use of Registered Intermediaries is kept under review as part of my Department’s on-going responsibility for the Witness Intermediary Scheme. Recent work by the Ministry of Justice has highlighted a potential increase in future demand, which is why we are currently in the process of undertaking a recruitment exercise aimed at doubling the number of Registered Intermediaries available to help vulnerable victims. We will of course continue closely to monitor Registered Intermediary demand and current numbers.

Witnesses: Advocacy

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Registered Intermediaries are available to cover each individual police force in England and Wales.

Mike Penning: Registered Intermediaries (RIs) work on a self-employed basis and specify in which areas of England and Wales they are willing to undertake work. In the first instance, cases will be offered to RIs in the area of the case. If an RI cannot be sourced this way then the case may be offered to those who have the requisite skills from other areas. We are currently in the process of undertaking a recruitment exercise aimed at doubling the number of RIs available to help vulnerable victims and witnesses to understand what is being asked of them and to communicate their answers. Geographical location will be an important consideration in taking forward the recruitment exercise. The following table gives a breakdown of the number of RIs who have specified each police force area. The figures show more than the total number of RIs as they can specify more than one area.   TotalAvon & Somerset20Bedfordshire30Cambridgeshire33Cheshire37Cleveland19Cumbria23Derbyshire32Devon & Cornwall17Dorset17Durham24Dyfed-Powys16Essex33Gloucestershire30Greater Manchester45Guernsey6Gwent15Hampshire24Hertfordshire30Humberside21Isle of Man8Kent23Lancashire37Leicestershire24Lincolnshire27London51Merseyside34Norfolk21North Wales28North Yorkshire31Northamptonshire20Northumbria19Nottinghamshire27Other2PSNI4South Wales15South Yorkshire33Staffordshire29Suffolk25Surrey32Sussex30Thames Valley34Warwickshire25West Mercia23West Midlands32West Yorkshire36Wiltshire24

Witnesses: Advocacy

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many requests for Registered Intermediaries were made in each police area in each year from 2010 to 2014.

Mike Penning: Recent work by the Ministry of Justice has highlighted the potential increase in future demand of Registered Intermediaries which is why we are currently in the process of undertaking a recruitment exercise aimed at doubling the number of Registered Intermediaries available to help vulnerable victims. . The following table gives a breakdown of requests for Registered Intermediaries for the years 2010 to 2014 by police force area. Police force area20102011201220132014TotalAvon & Somerset2533416699264Bedfordshire1418472618123Cambridgeshire5142244663226Cheshire141414101567Cleveland32582139Cumbria171114141369Derbyshire5336313361214Devon & Cornwall1719231940118Dorset43553047Durham231681496157Dyfed-Powys631163965Essex23485266166355Gloucestershire35061226Greater Manchester32543756118297Gwent10174162875Hampshire5228145167230622Hertfordshire11121153372Humberside4121374266207Isle of Man401005Kent1628245095213Lancashire1417201539105Leicestershire2526171930117Lincolnshire1118181938104London2852672042814711,508Merseyside32416252104291Norfolk201112133288North Wales2712135892North Yorkshire4410103260Northamptonshire3518113067Northumbria951545116190Nottinghamshire1099165599Other021036South Wales104112489138South Yorkshire7727123689Staffordshire1229314260174Suffolk3417171430112Surrey2328334546175Sussex2550576789288Thames Valley115106128160224733Warwickshire25831533West Mercia2213103973157West Midlands556677110189497West Yorkshire356483103181466Wiltshire3219182854151Total1,2061,2301,4321,7963,3379,001

Witnesses: Advocacy

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many requests for Registered Intermediaries by (a) the Crown Prosecution Service, (b) the police, (c) defence lawyers and (d) judges in each police area were successful in each year from 2010 to 2014.

Mike Penning: The following tables give a breakdown of successful requests for Registered Intermediary support for the years 2010 to 2014 by police force area, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Courts and Solicitors.   20102011201220132014TotalPolice force areaAvon & Somerset1725264564177 Bedfordshire91636191191 Cambridgeshire3032143054160 Cheshire513128846 Cleveland12461831 Cumbria108129948 Derbyshire4323282347164 Devon & Cornwall12141092671 Dorset32351427 Durham141171483129 Dyfed-Powys62922443 Essex22373554126274 Gloucestershire3406720 Greater Manchester2640273890221 Gwent9112102557 Hampshire4323133129198526 Hertfordshire107732552 Humberside2912262744138 Isle of Man400004 Kent1113192459126 Lancashire10101381859 Leicestershire131712132075 Lincolnshire71412133379 London2261901641983141,092 Merseyside2625553873217 Norfolk157661549 North Wales261183663 North Yorkshire33952646 Northamptonshire141071739 Northumbria33102163100 Nottinghamshire555102954 Other021036 South Wales648166094 South Yorkshire51227843 Staffordshire723203442126 Suffolk311413122393 Surrey1919293035132 Sussex1239474954201 Thames Valley9171107128162559 Warwickshire24521023 West Mercia191163047113 West Midlands43565876136369 West Yorkshire27445169103294 Wiltshire2719112035112 Total9078861,0951,2612,2946,443  CPSAvon & Somerset4612183373 Bedfordshire51115729 Cambridgeshire168916655 Cheshire8101616 Cleveland201227 Cumbria5324216 Derbyshire48281032 Devon & Cornwall341391342 Dorset11101619 Durham83001021 Dyfed-Powys01221217 Essex1714101850 Gloucestershire010045 Greater Manchester697162260 Gwent1626217 Hampshire8310321972 Hertfordshire1121510 Humberside8710152060 Isle of Man001001 Kent465202661 Lancashire36751637 Leicestershire8544829 Lincolnshire3255116 London33583678118323 Merseyside4136123166 Norfolk52661635 North Wales00031720 North Yorkshire1015512 Northamptonshire2174620 Northumbria314224171 Nottinghamshire31441527 South Wales30372437 South Yorkshire15532337 Staffordshire451081138 Suffolk112149 Surrey3419724 Sussex1079142969 Thames Valley1618142544117 Warwickshire013116 West Mercia12461730 West Midlands98143040101 West Yorkshire718303068153 Wiltshire20481832 Total2072342834557931,972 CourtsAvon & Somerset100001 Greater Manchester001001 Hampshire010001 Hertfordshire010001 London230005 Surrey010001 Thames Valley100001 Total4610011 SolicitorAvon & Somerset310004 Cambridgeshire500005 Cumbria100001 Derbyshire410005 Devon & Cornwall110002 Durham010001 Essex020002 Gloucestershire000011 Greater Manchester020002 Hampshire000101 Hertfordshire020002 Humberside120003 Kent120003 Lancashire110002 Leicestershire120003 Lincolnshire110002 London12510119 Merseyside020002 Norfolk010001 North Wales001102 North Yorkshire010001 Nottinghamshire100001 South Wales100001 South Yorkshire110002 Suffolk010001 Sussex120104 Thames Valley5800013 West Mercia200002 West Midlands120003 West Yorkshire010001 Total434223292Totals 1,1611,1681,3811,7193,0898,518

Witnesses: Advocacy

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Registered Intermediaries are currently (a) active and (b) available to take on new cases; and if he will make a statement.

Mike Penning: There are currently 89 active Registered Intermediaries (RIs). The Witness Intermediary Scheme works on a demand-led request basis and as such it is not possible to accurately state how many RIs are available at any given time to take on new cases. We are currently in the process of undertaking a recruitment exercise aimed at doubling the number of RIs available to help vulnerable victims and witnesses understand what is being asked of them and to communicate their answers.

Witnesses: Advocacy

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many requests for Registered Intermediary support by (a) the police, (b) the Crown Prosecution Service, (c) defence lawyers and (d) judges were received in each year from 2010 to 2014.

Mike Penning: Recent work by the Ministry of Justice has highlighted the potential increase in future demand of Registered Intermediaries which is why we are currently in the process of undertaking a recruitment exercise aimed at doubling the number of Registered Intermediaries available to help vulnerable victims. The following table gives a breakdown of requests for Registered Intermediary support for the years 2010 to 2014 by police, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Courts and Solicitors.  20102011201220132014TotalPolice9409201,1271,3082,4356,730CPS2172483004848992,148Courts5730015Solicitor4455243108Total1,2061,2301,4321,7963,3379,001

Driving Offences: Mobile Phones

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were found guilty of using a mobile telephone while driving in each of the last three years; and what sentences were passed in those cases.

Mike Penning: The offence of using a mobile phone while driving is serious, risks harm to others and is wholly unacceptable in our society. The number of offenders found guilty and sentenced at all courts, with sentencing outcomes, of offences related to using a mobile phone while driving, in England and Wales, from 2011 to 2013 (the latest available) can be viewed in the table below. Offenders found guilty and sentenced at all courts, with sentencing outcomes, for offences related to driving while using a mobile phone (1), England and Wales, 2011 to 2013 (2)(3)  Outcome201120122013(4)  Found Guilty28,96922,13517,472 Sentenced28,96922,13517,473 Of which:Absolute discharge283621 Conditional discharge332614 Fine28,84322,04117,415 Community sentence1-- Suspended sentences--- Otherwise dealt with(5)643223 Immediate custody---   '-' = Nil(1) Offences under RR 110 (1) - 110 (3) of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) The number of offenders sentenced can differ from those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty in a particular year, and committed for sentence at the Crown Court, may be sentenced in the following year. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (5) The category Otherwise Dealt With (ODW) includes: one day in police cells; disqualification order; restraining order; confiscation order; travel restriction order; disqualification from driving; recommendation for deportation; and other miscellaneous disposals.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.Ref: PQ 226934Criminal court proceedings data for 2014 are planned for publication in May 2015.

Victim Support Schemes

George Hollingbery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much has been made available to support victims in each of the last five years.

Mike Penning: We are committed to ensuring that victims of crime are fully supported and are making more money available than ever before for victims’ services. Under this Government funding for support services has more than doubled from £40.52million in 2009/10 to over £92 million in 2015/16, including an increase in local budgets to fund vital services on the ground.The following table shows the funding that the MoJ has provided to organisations supporting victims of crime since April 2010.  Financial YearTotal funding to victim’s services (1)2010-11£48.43m2011-12£49.6m2012-13£50.26m2013-14£57.02m2014-15£86.23m (2)2015-16Over £92m 1) Figures for 2011-12 onwards include income from the Prisoners’ Earnings Act.2) The figure for 2014/15 is forecast only and therefore likely to change at the end of the financial year. This does not include the £4.85m transfer of funds to the Home Office for support for victims of Child Sexual Exploitation.

First-tier Tribunal: West Midlands

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many hearings at First Tier Tribunals in the West Midlands have been cancelled in each of the last two years.

Mike Penning: First-tier Tribunal hearings can be cancelled for a number of reasons including the withdrawal of an appeal by either party or because of illness. Cases which are cancelled before the hearing was due to take place and subsequently rescheduled are classed as being postponed. The table below shows the total number of hearings and postponements for the two largest tribunals in HM Courts & Tribunals Service - Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) and Immigration and Asylum (IAC) in venues in the West Midlands region for the years 2013 and 2014.Postponements of SSCS Hearings in 2013 and 2014 in the West Midlands RegionPeriodHearingsHearings Postponed201358,1802,721201420,0721,139Postponements of IAC Hearings in 2013 and 2014 in the West Midlands RegionPeriodHearingsHearings Postponed20138,894369201412,328784

Prison Service: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of staffing in prisons in the West Midlands.

Andrew Selous: On 31 December 2014, there was a 12% shortfall in overall staffing in prisons and young offender institutions within the West Midlands region, which was largely covered by the short-term use of agency staff, or the use of overtime. Shortfalls in prison officer numbers were lower - at 6% - and are largely covered by the use of payment plus and the deployment of officers from other prisons to establishments with the most acute shortfalls. We continue to recruit permanent staff to meet regional needs.

Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission

Electoral Register: British Nationals Abroad

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how much it costs to register each overseas voter in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Mr Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission’s current campaign to target UK citizens living overseas has an overall budget of £132,000 and has a target of 100,000 additional registrations from overseas voters during the campaign period. If successful, the campaign would have a cost per registration of £1.32.The Commission will report on the success of the campaign following the election, which will include reporting on the cost of registering overseas voters.The response to registration campaigns varies considerably depending on levels of public interest in the election and until recently the Commission was only able to measure the number of registration forms downloaded, rather than actual additions to the register. During the Commission’s most recently completed overseas campaign which ran ahead of the 2014 European elections, the cost per download of each registration form was £10.13.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how much the Electoral Commission spent on Facebook targeted advertisements for the purpose of increasing electoral registration on National Voter Registration Day.

Mr Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission did not spend any money on Facebook targeted advertisements for National Voter Registration Day.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if the Electoral Commission will include a question on electoral registration forms asking how and why voters obtained their registration form in order to monitor the effectiveness of electoral registration activities.

Mr Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission has a statutory duty to design certain electoral registration forms. These designs must be submitted to the Lord President of the Council for approval following which they must be provided for use by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs).In doing this, the Commission must ensure that the forms collect all the information required by legislation, and so space to collect prescribed information therefore needs to be prioritised over requests for any additional information.In designing the forms the Commission has also sought to focus on accessibility and ease of use by applicants.The Commission has plans in place to evaluate the impact of its work to promote registration in the period leading up to the May 2015 elections. The Commission also provides guidance to EROs to support them in evaluating the impact of their activity locally, which includes advising them to take steps to record the level of responses as a result of an activity.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2015 to Question 225166, if the Electoral Commission will conduct research on the comparative success of different activities aimed at increasing electoral registration.

Mr Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission will publish an evaluation of Commission’s registration campaign in summer 2015. This will include results against the targets set for the campaign and information from tracking research with the public. It will also consider the impact of activity carried out by other organisations.

Elections: Expenditure

Sadiq Khan: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how much the Electoral Commission spent in 2014-15 on enforcement and monitoring of Part 2 of the Transparency of Lobbying, Third Party Campaigning and Trade Union Act 2014.

Mr Gary Streeter: The aim of the Commission is to regulate in a way that is effective, proportionate and fair, in line with the principles of good regulation. Wherever possible, the Commission will use advice and guidance to assist people to help them to comply with legislation but will monitor and take enforcement action where necessary.The Commission spent £66,000 on enforcement and monitoring of the Transparency of Lobbying, Third Party Campaigning and Trade Union Act 2014 in the eleven months to the end of February 2015 and estimates that expenditure for the whole of 2014-15 will be £80,000.

Elections: Expenditure

Sadiq Khan: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many full time equivalent Electoral Commission employees are working on monitoring and enforcement of Part 2 of the Transparency of Lobbying, Third Party Campaigning and Trade Union Act 2014.

Mr Gary Streeter: The aim of the Commission is to regulate in a way that is effective, proportionate and fair, in line with the principles of good regulation. Wherever possible, the Commission will use advice and guidance to assist people to help them to comply with legislation but will monitor and take enforcement action where necessary.In 2014-15, two full time equivalent Commission employees (based on average full time equivalent employees over the year) worked on enforcement and monitoring of the Transparency of Lobbying, Third Party Campaigning and Trade Union Act 2014 and the average full time equivalent budget for 2015-16 is 3.92 staff.

Elections: Expenditure

Sadiq Khan: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how much the Electoral Commission plans to spend in 2015-16 on enforcement and monitoring of Part 2 of the Transparency of Lobbying, Third Party Campaigning and Trade Union Act 2014.

Mr Gary Streeter: The aim of the Commission is to regulate in a way that is effective, proportionate and fair, in line with the principles of good regulation. Wherever possible, the Commission will use advice and guidance to assist people to help them to comply with legislation but will monitor and take enforcement action where necessary.The Commission plans to spend £182,000 in 2015-16 on enforcement and monitoring of the Transparency of Lobbying, Third Party Campaigning and Trade Union Act 2014.

Scotland Office

Policy

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, which policies contained in the 2010 Coalition Agreement and falling under his Department's responsibilities have not yet been implemented; and what the reasons are for each such policy's non-implementation.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office has fulfilled all commitments set out in the 2010 Coalition Agreement that were the responsibility of this Office. The Calman Commission’s proposals were implemented by delivering the Scotland Act 2012 and my department and others across the UK Government also worked with the Scottish Government to deliver a successful Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.

Citizens Advice Scotland

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when Ministers of his Department last met Citizens Advice Scotland; what was discussed at that meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Alistair Carmichael: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland and I have met the Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Scotland on several occasions to discuss a range of welfare and employment related issues. Most recently, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State met the Chief Executive on 11 March 2015, alongside other members of the Scottish Leaders Welfare and Benefits Group. The meeting discussed the work of that group and the migration from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payments. UK Government officials in the Scotland Office and other departments are also in regular contact with Citizens Advice Scotland on a number of areas.

Ministry of Defence

Defence Equipment

Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many invoices and to what value were paid by Defence Equipment and Supply after the statutory 30 days as required under the EU Directive 2011/7/EU in the last 12 months.

Mr Julian Brazier: Holding answer received on 11 February 2015



The Ministry of Defence's invoices are paid through the Defence Business Services organisation with the exception of some payments to suppliers made by units locally. We do not hold separate statistics of invoices settled on behalf of Defence Equipment & Support, however, across the Department, 8,647 invoices (or 0.2% of the total) amounting to circa £170 million were not paid within 30 calendar days during the 2013-14 financial year, of which over 80% were below £10,000 in value. Delays in paying bills are principally caused by the incorrect presentation of invoices.We process over four million invoices a year totalling some £26 billion. Over the course of the last full financial year (2013-14), Defence Business Services paid 99.99% of all correctly submitted invoices within 11 calendar days and 95.42% of invoices within five working days.We are committed to paying our suppliers promptly. Further, we place a contractual obligation on them to pay their subcontractors within a specified period from receipt of a valid invoice and to disseminate this requirement through their own supply chains.

Colombia

Mr Gerry Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will meet the Parliamentary Friends of Colombia to discuss the training provided to the Colombian armed forces by British military personnel.

Mr Gerry Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2014 to Question 210574, if he will place in the Library details of training provided to Colombian armed forces by the British military.

Mr Mark Francois: Holding answer received on 11 February 2015



The UK has an on-going programme of counter-narcotics assistance for Colombia.With regard to your first question I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

Colombia

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2014 to Question 210962, how many armed forces personnel travelled to Colombia during 2013 in order to further the defence relationship.

Mr Mark Francois: Holding answer received on 02 March 2015



Our records show that 22 Service personnel travelled to Colombia during 2013 for visits designed to further the defence relationship with Colombia through: defence education; transformation of the Colombian defence organisation; human rights and humanitarian law and post-conflict transition. In addition, HMS ARGYLL made a port visit, and HMS LANCASTER participated in naval EXERCISE UNITAS.

Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in his Department responded that they were treated fairly at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in his Department reported experiencing bullying or harassment at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Anna Soubry: In the 2014 People Survey, 70% of Ministry of Defence (MOD) respondents declaring a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work. Of those who declared that they did not have such a condition or disability, the figure was 82%.In the same survey 19% of MOD respondents who declared a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they had personally experienced bullying or harassment during the last 12 months. Of those who declared that they did not have a long-standing condition or disability, the figure was 9%.

Patrick Finucane Review

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 98 of the de Silva Report of the Patrick Finucane Review, published in December 2012, what the reasons were for the medical discharge of Brian Nelson from the Army.

Mr Mark Francois: Brian Nelson's personal file states that he was discharged from the Army on medical grounds in 1970 suffering from duodenal ulcers.

Army: Recruitment

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people from Northern Ireland applied to join the British Army in each of the last three years.

Anna Soubry: The number of applications to join the Army from Northern Ireland over the last three years is as follows: Northern Ireland 2012-132013-142014-15 (to 28 February)Regular1,7201,8101,840Reserve1,2001,0301,450 Since the Recruit Partnering Project between the Army and Capita started operations in April 2013, applications have been carried out online and processed centrally. In order to align data for the years in question to the geographical boundaries of Northern Ireland the postcodes of candidates have been used. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.

Air Force: Recruitment

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people from Northern Ireland applied to join the Royal Air Force in each of the last three years.

Mr Julian Brazier: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, it is possible to provide the number of personnel who have applied to join the RAF via the Armed Forces Careers Office in Belfast, although these individuals may not necessarily be from Northern Ireland. This information is provided in the table below:Calendar YearApplicants201220420132972014295

Staff

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military and aviation personnel worked in his Department in each of the last five years.

Anna Soubry: Information on the strength of UK Armed Forces is published in the Ministry of Defence's Quarterly Personnel Report (QPR). The latest issue, published on 12 February 2015, includes information as at 1 January 2015; Table 5a provides a breakdown by Service as at 1 April in each year since 2011 and also includes data from 1 October 2014 and 1 January 2015. The QPR can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/402633/quarterly_personnel_report_jan15.pdf

Department for Work and Pensions

Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in his Department responded that they were treated fairly at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Esther McVey: In the 2014 People Survey: · 71% of Department for Work and Pensions respondents declaring a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability, responded that they were treated fairly at work. · 83% of Department for Work and Pensions respondents declaring that they did not have a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work.

Work Programme

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disabled people have entered employment following participation in the Work Programme in (a) England, (b) London and (c) Hendon constituency to date.

Esther McVey: The information requested for the number of people placed into employment from the Work Programme, is not available. The information we do have shows the number of Work Programme Job Outcomes, by various geographies and this can be found at:http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/WorkProg/tabtool.html Guidance for users can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance

Employment: Disability

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to improve support for disabled people in work in response to the recommendations of the Sayce Review, published in June 2011.

Mr Mark Harper: The Government confirmed in March 2012 that it accepted the recommendations in the Sayce Review, to focus resources on tailored personalised support for individuals through services like Access to Work, rather than “one size fits all” institutions and programmes, so that we can significantly increase the number of disabled people that could be supported to access the labour market. The Sayce recommendations on Remploy have been implemented. The Written Statement on Access to Work published on 12th March sets out proposals to address two key recommendations of Liz Sayce with respect to developing online functionality and personal budgets.

Food Banks: Scotland

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of people who have been signposted or referred to a food bank by each Jobcentre Plus office in Scotland.

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of people in Scotland subject to a benefit sanction who have used food banks.

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of customers of his Department in Scotland who are using the services of food banks.

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of customers of his Department in each Scottish city who are using the services of food banks.

Esther McVey: I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Birmingham, Hall Green, Roger Godsiff, Official Report, 13 January 2014, column 448W.The answer can be found at the following link (UINs 181451 & 181511):http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140113/text/140113w0004.htm#column_448w

Universal Credit

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with the devolved administrations on the roll-out of universal credit.

Mr Mark Harper: We remain committed to a cross-Government approach to undertaking the most significant reform of the benefits system for a generation. The Devolved Administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are integral to this approach and there is regular contact between both Ministerial and official counterparts. Further, at a working level, officials from the Devolved Administrations are represented on a number of Universal Credit boards, taskforces and advisory groups.

Unemployment: County Antrim

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what change there has been in the level of unemployment in South Antrim constituency since 2010.

Mr Mark Harper: The Department for Work and Pensions is not responsible for such matters in Northern Ireland and the question should be referred to the Northern Ireland Executive.

Social Security Benefits

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the benefit cap on rates of employment in (a) England, (b) London and (c) Hendon constituency.

Esther McVey: The number of households capped in England from the introduction of the benefit cap to November 2014 (the latest available data) was 51,192. Of the 28,443 households who were no longer capped as at November 2014, 11,915 had an open Working Tax Credit claim, indicative of a move into work. The actual number of households who have gone into work may be higher; some individuals may go into work but may not be eligible to claim WTC if their earnings are too high or the hours worked do not meet the claim requirements. The number of households capped in London from the introduction of the benefit cap to November 2014 (the latest available data) was 25,150. Of the 13,761 households who were no longer capped as at November 2014, 6,426 had an open Working Tax Credit claim The number of households capped in Hendon Parliamentary Constituency from the introduction of the benefit cap to November 2014 (the latest available data) was 306. Of the 202 households who were no longer capped as at November 2014, 116 had an open Working Tax Credit claim Further information can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-cap-number-of-households-capped-to-november-2014

Social Security Benefits

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with the devolved administrations on the benefit cap.

Esther McVey: Ministers and officials at the Department for Work and Pensions have regular contact with their counterparts in the devolved administrations to discuss a range of issues.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department offers to young people seeking employment across the UK; and what discussions he has had with the devolved administrations on that matter.

Esther McVey: Over the last year the number of young people in work in the UK has risen by more than in the rest of the European Union put together. Youth unemployment has fallen by nearly 200,000 since 2010 and the youth claimant count is at its lowest level since the 1970s.Across Britain, all claimants are offered tailored support from day one of their claim. Through the Youth Contract, additional support is provided by Jobcentre Plus advisers to all 18-24 year olds. The Youth Contract has made available an extra 250,000 work experience and sector based work academy places. Those who require more focused or specialised training are supported through traineeships and apprenticeships.Ministers and officials at the Department for Work and Pensions have regular contact with their counterparts in the devolved administrations to discuss a range of issues.

Employment: Northern Ireland

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Northern Ireland have moved from benefits into work in each of the last three years.

Esther McVey: The Department for Work and Pensions is not responsible for such matters in Northern Ireland and the question should be referred to the Northern Ireland Executive.

Policy

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which policies contained in the 2010 Coalition Agreement and falling under his Department's responsibilities have not yet been implemented; and what the reasons are for each such policy's non-implementation.

Esther McVey: I refer the hon. Member to Departmental Business Plans which record all commitments, timescales for completion and progress against them. The Business Plans are fully transparent and are available at: http://transparency.number10.gov.uk/.

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the imposition of a three-year benefit sanction on the health of people subject to such sanctions.

Esther McVey: The sanctions system is designed to encourage claimants to comply with the reasonable requirements placed upon the receipt of their benefit. A very small minority of JSA claimants have ever received a three year sanction and the vast majority engage positively with the support designed to help them get back into work. Three year sanctions only apply where claimants have consistently and deliberately breached their most important requirements at least three times within a year. This includes failing to take up a job when it is on offer or being dismissed for misconduct from a previous job. If a sanction is applied, claimants are able to apply for hardship payments.

Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in his Department reported experiencing bullying or harassment at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Esther McVey: The Department has robust policies in place to deal with any allegation of bullying and harassment, including support for the individuals concerned. The Department for Work and Pensions People Survey 2014 report can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-work-and-pensions-civil-service-people-surveyIn the 2014 People Survey: · 71% of Department for Work and Pensions respondents declaring a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability, responded that they were treated fairly at work. · 83% of Department for Work and Pensions respondents declaring that they did not have a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work.

Remploy

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Minister has made of the performance of his Department in meeting its targets relating to claims for Remploy Employment Services.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time was for a decision on a claim for Remploy Employment Services in each year from 2013 to date.

Esther McVey: Remploy Ltd is a Non-Departmental Public Body that through its Employment Services business provides employment services for disabled people and those with barriers to work and receives annual grant-in-aid funding to deliver Work Choice. Performance targets are agreed annually in the Performance and Resources Agreement between the Department and the company. Remploy does not handle or process claims and therefore its performance is not measured on that basis. Performance for 2013 -14 was reported to both Houses in my statement of 18 December 2014, Official Report, Column 142WS.

Personal Independence Payment

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of his Department's performance in meeting targets relating to individual personal independence payment claims.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of his Department's performance against targets on the processing of claims for jobseeker's allowance.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of his Department's performance against targets on the processing of claims for employment and support allowance.

Esther McVey: The Department does not have a target regime. Instead the effectiveness of Benefit Centres is monitored by a range of measures. The Department regularly publishes information on a number of key areas of performance; these are included in our Transparency Indicators page, Statistical publications, the DWP tabulation tool and the DWP Annual Reports and Accounts. (links below for ease of reference). DWP-business-plan-transparency-measures DWP statistical summaries 2015 - Publications - GOV.UK  DWP annual report and accounts 2013 to 2014 - Publications - GOV.UK

Jobseeker's Allowance

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of time was for a decision to be made on a jobseeker's allowance claim in each year since 2010.

Esther McVey: The information requested is not available. There has been a continued improvement in the speed at which JSA claims have been processed. The latest figures show 90.2% are cleared within 10 days, compared to 70.89% in March 2010.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Stourbridge

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people who claimed jobseeker's allowance (JSA) at some point during the year were subject to a JSA sanction in that year in (a) Stourbridge Jobcentre and (b) Stourbridge constituency in each of the last five years.

Esther McVey: The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Mr David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of funding allocated to the Youth Contract programme for 2014-15 has been disbursed to date; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: Total figures for the final year are still being finalised.

Carers' Benefits: York

Sir Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were in receipt of one or more benefits for which carers are eligible in (a) York Central constituency and (b) City of York local authority area on (i) 1 April 2010 and (ii) the same date in each subsequent year.

Mr Mark Harper: The full information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Information on Carer’s Allowance (CA) as at May each year is available, and this is shown in the table below: CA caseload by entitlement and receipt: May 2010 to May 2014DateTotalCA Entitlement onlyClaimant receiving CAUnknown York Central Parliamentary ConstituencyMay-101,060540520-May-111,090510590-May-121,080490590-May-131,110480620-May-141,120450660- York Local Authority   May-102,0201,070950-May-112,0501,0301,020-May-122,0301,0101,020-May-132,0509801,060-May-142,0509201,130- Source: DWP 100% data Notes:1. "-" Denotes Nil or Negligible. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten. Some additional disclosure control has also been applied. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Carers entitled to receive CA may be paid the benefit, or not paid it because they receive an overlapping benefit equal to or greater than their weekly rate of CA.

Pay

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff directly employed by his Department at the Carer's Allowance Unit, Palatine House, Preston earn (a) more and (b) less than the national living wage.

Esther McVey: All 173 people directly employed by DWP in the Carer’s Allowance Unit, Palatine House, Preston are paid above the national living wage. The same is true for all people directly employed by DWP.

Work Programme: East Lothian

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many former incapacity benefit claimants found fit for work after being reassessed for employment and support allowance between October 2010 and March 2014 have found work as a result of the Work Programme in East Lothian constituency.

Esther McVey: The information as requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Scotland

Dr Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) employment and support allowance claimants in households with dependent children in Scotland received an adverse sanction decision by (i) level of sanction and (ii) number of children in the latest 12-month period for which data is available.

Esther McVey: The information as requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Jobcentre Plus

Dr Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his policy is on the number of conditionality referrals made by a Jobcentre Plus advisor being taken into account in their performance appraisal with their line manager.

Dr Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library a copy of all appraisal documents used to monitor the performance of Jobcentre Plus jobseeker's allowance advisors.

Dr Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department has provided to Jobcentre Plus managers on the place of conditionality referrals in performance appraisals of jobseeker's allowance advisors.

Esther McVey: There are no targets for the number of conditionality referrals made by Jobcentre Plus advisors. Frontline advisers’ performance is measured on delivering high quality public services. A copy of the guidance provided to managers will be placed in the library.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Drinking Water

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department spent on bottled water in 2014.

Dan Rogerson: Bottled water is only purchased by the core Defra for water coolers in our Nobel House, London office. In 2014, the core Department spent £1,406.00 on this.

Flood Control

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Environment Agency's flood and coastal erosion risk management investment programme 2015 to 2021, what estimate she has made of the number of properties that will be protected in the (a) Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, (b) Thames Valley and (c) UK by that programme.

Dan Rogerson: The Environment Agency has estimated that its flood and coastal erosion risk management investment programme 2015-2021, will reduce the risk of flooding to:   · around 400 households in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead; · over 3,000 households in the Thames Valley - this number is based on delivery of schemes across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, including schemes around Oxford, Abingdon, Slough, Marlow, Newbury, Winnersh, Bicester, Northway and Marston; · at least 300,000 households in England.

Animal Welfare: Circuses

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) wild animals and (b) different species of animal are licensed under the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012.

George Eustice: There are currently 19 wild animals licensed to be used by travelling circuses in England under the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012. This includes: 7 reindeer, 3 camels, 3 zebra, 3 snakes, an ankole, a fox, and a raccoon.

Animal Welfare: Convictions

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people have been convicted of animal abuse since 2005.

George Eustice: The number of offenders found guilty at all courts of offences related to animal abuse, in England and Wales, from 2005 to 2013 can be seen in the table attached.   Criminal court proceedings data for 2014 are planned for publication in May 2015. 



Animal abuse offences
(PDF Document, 8.29 KB)

HMS Victory

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2015 to Question 226362, whether the preparation of cannon for lifting and the dusting of mobile sediments on the wreck site of HMS Victory 1744 by Odyssey Marine Exploration in the summer of 2012 was included in the Marine Management Organisation investigation into unauthorised work on the HMS Victory 1744 wreck site.

George Eustice: Based on the evidence available, it is understood that a cannon was lifted prior to the introduction of the marine licensing system in April 2011. However, the investigation carried out by the MMO into the carrying out of licensed marine activities also obtained evidence of dusting of mobile sediments and other preparatory activities which would have required a marine licence, when there was in fact no such licence in place. As a result of this evidence, the MMO issued Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc. with an official written warning for these activities on 7 November 2014, in accordance with its published compliance and enforcement strategy.

Food: Production

Miss Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on shortening supply chains in food production; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice: Supply chains vary considerably and there is no ‘one size fits all’ for a sustainable supply chain. There are good examples of both short and longer, more complicated supply chains. Assurance measures and traceability of produce are key to a sustainable food chain.   The Government has made it clear that following the vulnerabilities highlighted by the horsemeat fraud incident all food businesses need to review their own systems and test their products to demonstrate to consumers that they are in control of their supply chains. It is in the interest of the industry, as well as their legal obligation, to ensure the authenticity and safety of the products that they supply to their customers.

Non-native Species

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish best practice guidelines for people carrying out the control agreements and orders introduced under the Infrastructure Act 2015 to ensure that animals are killed in the most humane way possible.

George Eustice: We will be consulting publicly later this year on the code of practice that accompanies these measures. The code will include guidance on the standards of animal welfare to be met in connection with species control agreements and orders.

Flood Control

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of the Environment Agency budget was spent on flood defences and prevention in (a) 2012, (b) 2013 and (c) 2014.

Dan Rogerson: The following table shows the proportion of Environment Agency budget spent on flood and coastal risk management (FCRM) in the financial years 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14.   The final FCRM spend for the financial year 14/15 is yet to be confirmed.   Expenditure2013-2014 (£M)% of Total Spend2012-2013 (£M)% of Total Spend2011-2012 (£M)% of Total SpendFlood and coastal risk management637565855460054Total1,1431001,0911001,113100

Cats

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many kittens and cats entered the UK under the EU Pet Travel Scheme in each of the last three years.

George Eustice: Information on the number of cats entering Great Britain on approved routes under the EU pet travel scheme is provided below:   YearNumber of cats entering201214,601201314,147201415,081 This data was extracted from the Pets Database on 13 March 2015 and does not distinguish between kittens and adult cats.

Cats

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the number of cats that have been brought into the UK illegally in the last three years.

George Eustice: The number of cats identified as being non-compliant with either the pet travel scheme (Regulation 576/2013) or the commercial trade and import regime (Balai Directive 92/65) and subsequently licensed into quarantine in Great Britain is provided below: YearNumber of cats quarantined2012101201383201499

Dangerous Dogs

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how and when the Government plans to evaluate the effectiveness of measures under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to prevent attacks by dogs on other animals.

George Eustice: The 2014 Act makes important changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, in particular the provision of a specific offence of a dog attack on an assistance dog. The police are working closely with charities that support assisted persons to ensure effective implementation of the new offence. In addition, Government is keen to maximise the effectiveness of the new anti-social behaviour powers and their use by practitioners in relation to dog control and welfare. Government will monitor the practical implementation of the new powers and will keep their operation under close review with our partners. As with all new legislation, Government will have to carry out post-legislative scrutiny 3-5 years after Royal Assent.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Housing Bond Guarantee Scheme

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many bids his Department has received to manage the private renting component of the Housing Bond Guarantee scheme.

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many homes have been completed as a result of the private renting component of the Housing Bond Guarantee Scheme.

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many bids for funding the Government has received for the private renting component of the Housing Bond Guarantee Scheme.

Brandon Lewis: Holding answer received on 09 December 2014



I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 16 March 2015, HCWS413.

Tenancy Deposit Schemes

Mr Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that private tenants receive value for money held as deposits in custodial deposit schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the amount of interest paid to private tenants from custodial tenancy deposit protection schemes in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: The interest payments to tenants under the scheme are as follows: 2010: £418,681; 2011: £199,579; 2012: £120,288; 2013: £82,084; 2014: £59,184.The falling figures reflect record-low interest rates, and also the changes that were made to the contract after 2010. If I may explain:The service concession agreement that was agreed by Labour Government with the custodial tenancy deposit protection scheme contained a guarantee that the Government would meet any shortfall arising if approved fees were not covered by the interest on deposits held. If interests were low, then the Government would pay the scheme money.As a result of the low interest rates that emerged due to the financial crash in 2008 and 2009, such an agreement left taxpayers liable for a massive shortfall, which was estimated to reach over £30 million by the end of the contract in 2012.In May 2010, the Coalition Government inherited this unacceptable situation and looming liabilities for taxpayers. As outlined my rt. hon. Friend, the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 19 July 2011, Official Report, Column 828W, following extensive negotiations in summer 2010, we removed the guarantee and all associated liabilities as part of a revised agreement.The Government is currently inviting bidders for the new custodial tenancy protection scheme contract for 2016 onwards, and we are asking bidders how and when they could offer tenants’ interest as part of their bids.

Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in his Department responded that they were treated fairly at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Kris Hopkins: In the 2014 People Survey, 60% of DCLG respondents declaring a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work.85% of DCLG respondents declaring that they did not have a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded that they were treated fairly at work.These figures are broadly in line with the Civil Service average. We work closely with the Department's 'Disability Network' to promote awareness and understanding of disability related issues in the workplace. We also provide individual support, help and guidance to disabled staff on 'disability' and 'reasonable adjustment' related issues; we do this in conjunction with our delivery partners at the Department for Work and Pensions.

Empty Property

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate he has made of the number of long-term empty properties in (a) England, (b) the North West, (c) Lancashire and (d) Pendle constituency.

Stephen Williams: Statistics on vacant dwellings in England and by local authority are published in the Department’s Live Table 615, which is available at:www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants  My Department does not publish regional statistics.  I would note that under this Government, the number of long-term empty homes has fallen by a third from the base line of 316,251 in October 2009 to 216,050 in October 2013. The number of empty homes overall is at a ten year low.  The Coalition Government has delivered a comprehensive package of policies to help get empty homes and buildings back into use. We have: provided over £200 million to fund innovative schemes run by community groups, councils and housing associations up and down the country to bring empty properties back into use. So far, our funding has enabled local groups to create almost 6,000 new homes from empty property – providing apprenticeship and training opportunities as well as more homes and better neighbourhoods for local people – with the potential to deliver more. Rewarded councils for bringing 100,000 empty homes back into use through the New Homes Bonus; Given councils new powers to remove council tax subsidies to empty homes, and use the funds to keep the overall rate of council tax down. We have also changed tax rules to discourage the use of corporate envelopes to invest in high value housing which may be left empty or under-used to avoid paying tax; Cancelled the Labour Government’s Pathfinder programme which sought to demolish homes, instead of focusing on refurbishment and getting empty homes into use; and revoked associated pro-demolition guidance from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Taken forward the best practice recommendations produced by our independent empty homes adviser, George Clarke—such as refurbishment and upgrading of existing homes should be the first and preferred option, and that demolition of existing homes should be the last option after all forms of market testing and options for refurbishment are exhausted; we have embedded these principles in our housing programme funding schemes; Reformed Community Infrastructure Levy regulations to provide an increased incentive for brownfield development, extending exemptions for empty buildings being brought back into use. We have reduced Section 106 burdens on vacant buildings being returned to use. Introduced the Right to Contest, building on our existing Community Right to Reclaim Land, which lets communities ask that under-used or unused land owned by public bodies is brought back into beneficial use. This new right applies to central Government sites currently in use, but are not vital for operations. Amended national planning policy through the National Planning Policy Framework to encourage councils to bring back empty properties back into use; Funded a new business rates reoccupation relief to help bring empty shops back into use; and Reformed permitted development rights in a number of ways to free up the planning system and facilitate the conversion of redundant and under-used non-residential buildings into new homes.

Affordable Housing: Surrey

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many affordable housing units were built in (a) Woking constituency and (b) Surrey in each of the last two years.

Brandon Lewis: Statistics on additional affordable housing provided in each local authority area in England are published in the Department’s live table 1008, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-affordable-housing-supply These figures include both newly built housing and acquisitions. They are not available at a parliamentary constituency level.

Recycling: York

Sir Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much waste was recycled in City of York local authority area in 2009-10 and in each subsequent year.

Kris Hopkins: The information requested is shown in the attached table.



City of York waste recycling
(Word Document, 22.42 KB)

Means-tested Benefits: Pensions

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department issues to local government offices responsible for processing housing benefit and council tax discount scheme claims on withdrawal of pension fund money under the pension freedom rules that come into force in April 2015.

Kris Hopkins: In due course we will issue guidance to local authorities on the interaction of local council tax support and the pension freedom rules that come into force in April 2015.On housing benefit, I refer to the answer given by the Minister of State for the Department for Work and Pensions on 9 March 2015, Question 225351.

Wales Office

Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in his Department responded that they were treated fairly at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Alun Cairns: 76% of staff at the Wales Office responded that they were treated fairly at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey, with a further 15% offering no comment. However, because of the small numbers of staff working at the Wales Office, information regarding disabled staff response rates is not disclosed to the Department.

Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in his Department reported experiencing bullying or harassment at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Alun Cairns: 15% of staff responded that they had experienced bullying or harassment at work in the past 12 months. However, there were no reports of bullying or harassment. Because of the small numbers of staff working at the Wales Office, information regarding disabled staff response rates is not disclosed to the Department. At the time of the survey the Wales Office had 46 members of staff. The Wales Office takes a zero tolerance approach to reported incidents of bullying and harassment and will will always investigate and treat allegations of unacceptable behaviour extremely seriously before taking appropriate actio

HM Treasury

Minimum Wage

Stephen Timms: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2015 to Question 218249, how many complaints about non-payment of the minimum wage to HM Revenue and Customs have been made in each of the last six years.

Mr David Gauke: The Government takes the enforcement of National Minimum Wage very seriously. Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should make a complaint to the Pay & Work Rights Helpline (PWRH) on 0800 917 2368.   HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) review every complaint referred to them by the PWRH. We are unable to provide 2014/15 figures to date as we do not typically disclose results mid-way through a year; this is because the results have not been internally validated. Reference sources for complaints referred by the PWRH over the last five years are detailed below in the government evidence to the Low Pay Commission (LPC):   2013/14; Annex C; P75 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/393983/bis-15-25-national-minimum-wage-final-government-evidence-for-the-low-pay-commissions-2015-report.pdf   2012/13; Table D2; P66   https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/273665/bis-14-533-national-minimum-wage-government-evidence-for-the-low-pay-commission-2014.pdf   2011/12; 2006 complaints. The LPC report this year made reference to all calls received by the PWRH, rather than NMW complaints.   2010/11 & 2009/10; Table 6.3; P85   https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/32164/11-1264-national-minimum-wage-evidence-2011.pdf   Please note, HMRC do not publish management information based on complaints received, but by investigations completed. Some complaints may not lead to the commencement of an investigation which could be due to incomplete information being provided, or the worker subsequently withdrawing their complaint. Similarly, multiple complaints about the same employer are only recorded under one investigation. Additionally, HMRC collate and analyse data from various sources in order to identify those employers who are potentially more likely to be underpaying National Minimum Wage, so that they can undertake targeted enforcement against those employers.

HSBC: Switzerland

Paul Flynn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which HM Revenue and Customs officials saw the list of bank accounts held at the HSBC private bank in Geneva, known as the Falciani list, as passed to the Government by the French financial authorities; what evaluation was conducted of that list on its receipt; and when Ministers in his Department were first made aware of the information on that list.

Mr David Gauke: On receipt of the list HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) set up a project, called ‘Operation SOLACE’, which at its peak had around 300 tax specialists systematically examining the leaked HSBC Suisse data, to assess how it could be used to identify tax evasion and whether it provided sufficient evidence to support enforcement action against UK resident account holders. The HSBC Suisse data initially revealed 6,800 ‘entities’ – individuals, businesses and trusts – but this contained duplication (some people had multiple accounts). Removing duplication left around 3,600 entities, all of which HMRC have examined. HMRC have investigated and challenged more than 1,000 account holders, and collected £135 million from them in unpaid tax, interest and fines. HMRC received the data from the French in April 2010 under very strict international treaty conditions, which limited its use to tax purposes only and prevented HMRC from sharing the data with other law enforcement authorities for investigating other potential offences. Since 2010 we have asked the French authorities on a number of occasions for permission to use the data for purposes wider than tax collection. The French authorities gave written confirmation on 23 February 2015 that they were lifting restrictions on the use and sharing of the data with other law enforcement agencies and regulators for the purpose of investigating criminal offences. As a result, HMRC has recently held a multi-agency meeting to discuss how the stolen HSBC Suisse data can be shared with them. Ministers were not made aware of any specific cases under the long standing principle of taxpayer confidentiality and HMRC operational independence.

HSBC: Switzerland

Paul Flynn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has sought a meeting with Hervé Falciani to discuss the details of unregistered bank accounts held by UK citizens in HSBC Private Bank in Switzerland.

Mr David Gauke: How operations are conducted is a matter for HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) under the long standing principle of operational independence.

Training

Chi Onwurah: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance his Department provides to its managers on how many days training should be made available to staff.

Chi Onwurah: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department spent on training in each of the last three financial years.

Chi Onwurah: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his Department's training budget was in each of the last three financial years.

Chi Onwurah: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff employed in his Department was in each of the last three financial years.

Andrea Leadsom: The table below shows how much HM Treasury spent on training in the last six full financial years, and the training budget for each of those years.   Financial YearTotal staff training costsTraining budget2013/14£774,689£1,494,4522012/13£656,790£1,697,0372011/12£819,847£2,147,4792010/11£1,169,237£1,793,3922009/10£2,369,560£2,908,6382008/09£2,282,714£3,125,260  Records on number of staff training days are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate costs.   HM Treasury provides guidance to staff including managers that all civil servants are entitled to a minimum of 5 days a year for learning which can include training, seminars, mentoring, and other professional and job-based development.

Tax Avoidance

Pamela Nash: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2015 to Question 223223, how many of the notifications received by HM Revenue and Customs resulted in (a) court proceedings and (b) a conviction in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Mr David Gauke: The Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes regime to which Question 223223 referred requires promoters of avoidance schemes to notify HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) of schemes which meet certain criteria. Users of a notified tax avoidance scheme are required to report this use to HMRC, for appropriate challenge.   Where a dispute on a tax avoidance scheme cannot be settled by agreement, it is open to the user to take the dispute to the Tax Tribunal for a decision. HMRC win around 80% of the avoidance cases users choose to take to court, and many more users decide to settle before they reach litigation.   Tax avoidance schemes are dealt with by way of Tax Tribunal hearing, if necessary moving to the higher Courts where the taxpayer or HMRC are given leave to appeal a decision of the Tribunal.

HSBC

Shabana Mahmood: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on HSBC and tax evasion since May 2010.

Mr David Gauke: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has regular meetings with the Prime Minister to discuss a wide range of issues, including tax avoidance.

Banks: Switzerland

Shabana Mahmood: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any Minister in his Department discussed the declaration concerning the acquistion of customer data stolen from Swiss banks with Lord Green during his time as Minister for Trade and Investment.

Mr David Gauke: As the Chancellor told the House on 23rd February, the Cabinet Secretary and the Director General of Ethics at the Cabinet Office carried out the requisite background checks for Ministerial appointments that were put in place by the previous Government. Lord Green’s personal tax affairs were examined by HMRC on behalf of the House of Lords Appointments Commission, again using the procedures put in place by the previous Government.

HSBC

Shabana Mahmood: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when Ministers in his Department were first made aware of the findings of the US Senate Homeland Security Sub-Committee that led to HSBC being fined $1.9bn in December 2012.

Mr David Gauke: The Homeland Security & Government Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations’ report into HSBC was published on 16 July 2012 and was widely covered in the media. The Treasury is not aware of information that would suggest that the UK Government knew of the committee’s findings before they were published.

Banks: Tax Evasion

Paul Flynn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has held with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on its forthcoming investigation into allegations that British-headquartered banks have assisted clients to evade UK taxes by use of secret bank accounts in foreign jurisdictions; and what powers the FCA has to require employees of foreign-based subsidiaries of British-registered banks to assist such inquiries.

Mr David Gauke: Ministers have regular discussions with the FCA on a wide range of issues. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to give details of such discussions. However, by 2018, the UK led drive to revolutionize international tax transparency will mean that over 90 countries, including Switzerland, will be exchanging information with us on financial accounts automatically every year. This will be an unprecedented step change in HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC’s) ability to tackle offshore tax evasion.

Private Rented Housing: Tax Allowances

Pamela Nash: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much mortgage interest relief for private landlords was worth and how many recipients there were, in each of the last five years; and if he will estimate how much that relief will be worth and how many such recipients there will be in each of the next five years.

Mr David Gauke: The information requested is not available.

Tax Evasion

Shabana Mahmood: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in how many cases related to tax evasion did failure to agree a rate of penalty go on appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal (Tax) or Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery Chamber) and result in a penalty that was (a) the same as the original amount, (b) a greater amount or (c) a lower amount in the last five years.

Mr David Gauke: This information could only be collated at a disproportionate cost.

Small Businesses: Taxation

Pamela Nash: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Section 660a cases brought to tribunal led to (a) prosecution, (b) acquittal and (c) out of court settlements in each of the last five years.

Mr David Gauke: There have been no prosecutions based on the legislation in what is now Part 5, Chapter 5 ITTOIA 2005 (the 'settlements legislation') during the last five years.

Tax Evasion

Shabana Mahmood: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many cases a taxpayer settled with HM Revenue and Customs for a penalty less than that initially set by the investigating inspector in each of the last five years.

Mr David Gauke: This information can only be collated at a disproportionate cost.

Taxation: Switzerland

Shabana Mahmood: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department carried out an impact assessment on the future implications of signing its agreement with the Swiss Confederation on co-operation in the area of taxation.

Mr David Gauke: An impact assessment was conducted and is summarised at page 16 of the Autumn Statement 2012 policy costings document[1]under the heading of ‘Tax repatriation from Switzerland’. A further impact assessment was included at page A221 of the overview of draft legislation[2] in respect of Finance Bill 2013 published on 11 December 2012.   Progress against forecast, revised in accordance with standard review procedures once the agreement became operational, was considered in the National Audit Office report ‘Increasing the effectiveness of tax collection’[3] published on 6 February 2015. Here, at paragraph 5.8, the National Audit Office commented that, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) appears to be 'on track to meet its revised forecast of tax yield from the UK-Swiss agreement’.  [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/221551/as2012_policy_costings.pdf  [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/192207/fb2013_overview_of_legislation_in_draft.pdf [3] http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Increasing-the-effectiveness-of-tax-collection-a-stocktake-of-progress-since-2010.pdf

Non-domestic Rates

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many business rates appeals (a) are outstanding, (b) have been received and (c) have been cleared, in each region; and what the median number of days taken is to clear business rates appeals in each region.

Mr David Gauke: 'Local Rating Lists: Business Rates' statistics can be found in the 2010 'Local Rating list: day-to-day rating workload' Table As at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/non-domestic-rates-business-rates-local-rating-lists-experimental--2

LighterLife

Nick de Bois: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received on VAT liability for (a) franchisees of LighterLife UK and (b) LighterLife UK.

Mr David Gauke: It is not for the government to comment on a civil matter between the franchisees and LighterLife UK.

Capital Gains Tax

Pamela Nash: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of private residence relief in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) England, (d) Wales and (e) Northern Ireland in each year since 2010; and what his forecast is of the cost of such relief in each of those areas in each year to 2020.

Pamela Nash: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the annual cost to the Exchequer of Private Residence Relief in each year between 2010 and 2020 in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) England, (d) Wales and (e) Northern Ireland.

Mr David Gauke: Forecasts of the cost of private residence relief have not been made beyond 2014/15 and splits by UK country are not available.

Tax Collection

Pamela Nash: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) the amounts not collected and (b) the reason for the remission or write-off was in respect of each remission and write-off included in HM Revenue and Customs Trust Statements since May 2010.

Mr David Gauke: The amounts not collected in relation to the revenue remissions and write-offs from May 2010 are detailed in the Revenue Losses note within the relevant published Trust Statements. Remissions are debts capable of recovery but not cost effective to pursue. Write- offs are debts that are considered to be irrecoverable because there is no practical means for pursuing the liability, for example ‘missing’ or ‘deceased’.   Specific reasons why individual debts are remitted or written off are varied and we are unable to provide a reason for each remission and write-off as requested due to the number and variety of data sources. The cost to provide such detailed information would be disproportionate.

Tax Evasion

Greg Mulholland: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to increase penalties for people convicted of assisting tax evasion.

Mr David Gauke: This government has been relentless in its crackdown on tax evasion. The unprecedented Common Reporting Standard will mean that by 2018 over 90 countries be exchanging information on offshore accounts automatically, helping HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to find and pursue offshore evaders successfully.

Tax Evasion

Dame Anne McGuire: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what mechanisms HM Revenue and Customs has in place to investigate allegations of tax evasion by non-resident parents reported by parents with care following advice from the Child Maintenance Service.

Mr David Gauke: HM Revenue & Customs assess all contacts made and a decision is made as to the appropriate course of action.

Police Service of Scotland

Katy Clark: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to make Police Scotland eligible for VAT refunds.

Mr David Gauke: I refer the Hon. Lady to the answer that I gave her on 04 March 2015 (224504).

Energy: Tax Allowances

Caroline Lucas: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2015 to Question 225330, on what timetable he plans to remove the entitlement of community energy co-operatives to Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) tax relief; and if he will make it his policy that EIS tax relief is not withdrawn for existing co-ops before April 2017.

Mr David Gauke: The Autumn Statement 2014 announced that all community energy generation undertaken by qualifying organisations will be eligible for Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR) with effect from the date of the expansion of SITR, at which point it will cease to be eligible for the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS), the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) or the Venture Capital Trust scheme (VCTs).   Co-operatives do not qualify for SITR as they are run for the benefit of their members rather than for the benefit of the community. However, co-operatives with a social purpose and which meet other criteria can convert to a community benefit society by free application to the FCA. Those that remain co-operatives and benefit from subsidies for the generation of renewable energy will no longer be eligible for EIS, SEIS and VCTs once State aid approval is received for the expansion of SITR.   The government is currently considering appropriate arrangements to ensure that there is a smooth transition for community energy activities from EIS, SEIS and VCTs to SITR.

Policy

Paul Flynn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what policies contained in the 2010 Coalition Agreement and falling under his Department's responsibilities have not yet been implemented; and what the reasons are for each such policy's non-implementation.

Andrea Leadsom: I refer the Hon Gentleman to Departmental Business Plans which record all commitments, timescales for completion and progress against them. The Business Plans are fully transparent and are available at: www.transparency.number10.gov.uk.

Tax Avoidance

Mr John Spellar: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to respond to the results of his Department's consultation on umbrella companies.

Mr David Gauke: The government will respond in due course.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Lilian Greenwood: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to answer Question 224318, tabled on 11 February 2015 for Named day answer on 23 February 2015; and what the reasons are for the time taken to answer that Question.

Danny Alexander: I have done so.

Minimum Wage

Paul Burstow: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2015 to Question 222025, if he will provide a breakdown of the figures in the Answer by employment sector in the most recent year or years for which that data is available.

Mr David Gauke: The Government takes the enforcement of National Minimum Wage very seriously. Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should make a complaint to the Pay & Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) review every complaint that is referred to them by the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. In addition, HMRC conducts risk-based enforcement activities in sectors or areas where there is a higher risk of workers not getting paid the legal minimum wage.   It is only possible to provide a breakdown of the figures by employment sector and gender from the year 2013/14, which is attached in the table below.   Employment SectorMFTotalADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT SERVICE ACTIVITIES243218784310HUMAN HEALTH AND SOCIAL WORK ACTIVITIES115228363988ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION216511773342WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE; REPAIR OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND MOTORCYCLES92822123140ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICE ACTIVITIES13479712318FINANCIAL AND INSURANCE ACTIVITIES68113572038OTHER SERVICE ACTIVITIES3148471161INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION256254510CONSTRUCTION4681469TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE39077467EDUCATION81372453MANUFACTURING12658184PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES415091REAL ESTATE ACTIVITIES303161WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE, WASTE MANAGEMENT AND REMEDIATION ACTIVITIES371855AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHING7916PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND DEFENCE; COMPULSORY SOCIAL SECURITY404ELECTRICITY, GAS, STEAM AND AIR CONDITIONING SUPPLY202ACTIVITIES OF HOUSEHOLDS AS EMPLOYERS; UNDIFFERENTIATED GOODS-AND 11SERVICES-PRODUCING ACTIVITIES OF HOUSEHOLDS FOR OWN USETOTALS104611214922610

Advertising

Chris Ruane: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department spent on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) national newspaper advertisements, (d) local newspaper advertisements, (e) social media advertising and (f) other types of advertising in each year since 2010.

Andrea Leadsom: The information requested is not separately identified within our accounting system. To attempt to extract the data would be at disproportionate costs.   You may wish to know that as part of the Government’s transparency agenda, all Departments publish details of spend over £25,000. Data is published one month in arrears and can be found within the link below: www.gov.uk/government/collections/25000-spend.

Macquarie Bank

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what meetings his Department has had with Macquarie Bank since May 2010; and who was present at such meetings.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which of his Department's projects Macquarie Bank has invested in since May 2010; and how much it has invested in each project.

Andrea Leadsom: (1)Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.   Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis. They are available at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm   (2) HM Treasury does not sponsor any projects directly, and does not hold information on which parties invest in other department’s projects.

Inheritance Tax

Pamela Nash: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much inheritance tax was collected in each of the last five years up to the most recent period for which records are available; and what the inheritance tax gap was in each of those years in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) England, (d) Wales and (e) Northern Ireland.

Mr David Gauke: Details of Inheritance Tax receipts for 2009/10 to 2013/14 have been published at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/338949/140722Table12-1DUChecked.pdf.   HM Revenue and Customs published its latest tax gap estimates on 16 October 2014 in 'Measuring Tax Gaps' 2014 edition: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/364009/4382_Measuring_Tax_Gaps_2014_IW_v4B_accessible_20141014.pdf   Estimates of the UK tax gap for each type of tax are provided from 2005-06 to 2012-13. In 2012-13 the overall UK tax gap was estimated at £34 billion, 6.8 per cent of total tax due. Within this, the tax gap due to Inheritance Tax was estimated at £300 million. A time series can be found on table 8.1, page 70.   HMRC do not break down any of the estimates by country.

Government Departments: Pay

Pamela Nash: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2015 to Question 226142, how many enquiries were opened and how much additional tax was due to be collected in total as a result of those enquiries.

Danny Alexander: The information requested is not available.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

Housing: Insulation

Mr John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the contribution of 3 February 2015 from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in his Department, Official Report, column 22WH, on cavity wall insulation, what assessment his Department has made of the benefits of putting in place an independent assessment of properties two years after cavity wall insulation is installed.

Amber Rudd: Holding answer received on 09 March 2015



DECC officials are exploring the proposals raised at the Westminster Hall debate on 3 February 2015, including putting in place an independent assessment with Ofgem (who administer ECO) and the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA), who provide commercial guarantees for Cavity Wall Insulation.

Housing: Insulation

Mr John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the contribution of 3 February 2015 from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in his Department, Official Report, column 21WH, on cavity wall insulation, what assessment his Department has made of the proposal to extend the required number of independent inspections of ECO cavity wall installations beyond five per cent.

Amber Rudd: Holding answer received on 09 March 2015



I wrote to the Chief Executive of Ofgem on 9 February, regarding this issue. I requested that Ofgem provide information on whether the 5% technical monitoring rate under ECO should be increased.DECC officials are currently reviewing Ofgem’s response.

Housing: Insulation

Mr John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the contribution of 3 February 2015 from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in his Department, Official Report, column 22WH, on cavity wall insulation, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the proposal to introduce independent oversight for all cavity wall insulation guarantees.

Amber Rudd: Holding answer received on 09 March 2015



I have instructed DECC officials to gather further evidence to better understand the need for an independent oversight body for Cavity Wall Insulation (CWI) guarantees.I met with Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) on 24 February to discuss this issue further, and they have committed to preparing a paper regarding this proposal.I have also written to the Chief Executive of Ofgem, regarding this issue on 9 February. DECC officials are currently reviewing the response.

Housing: Insulation

Mr John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the contribution of 3 February 2015 from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in his Department, Official Report, columns 18-23WH, on cavity wall insulation, what discussions his Department has had with Ofgem on the independence of the directors of CIGA.

Amber Rudd: Holding answer received on 09 March 2015



This issue does not fall within the remit of Ofgem. However, to understand this issue more fully, I met with the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) on 24 February, and DECC officials are currently considering the information that they supplied.

Housing: Insulation

Mr John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the contribution of 3 February 2015 from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in his Department, Official Report, column 22WH, what assessment his Department has made of the proposal to regulate the initial sales conversation of cavity wall insulation providers.

Amber Rudd: Holding answer received on 09 March 2015



I have instructed DECC officials to gather further evidence to better understand the proposal to regulate the initial sales conversation of cavity wall insulation providers.I also wrote to the Chief Executive of Ofgem, regarding this issue on 9 February. I have asked Ofgem to forward information they have on this issue and to supply views on this proposal.

Housing: Insulation

Mr John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the debate on cavity wall insulation of 3 February 2015, Official Report, columns 3-6WH, what representations he has received from the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency in response to questions raised in that debate; and if he will publish those representations.

Amber Rudd: DECC officials and I met with CIGA, on 24 February, to discuss this and other issues raised at the recent Westminster Debate on 3 February.

Housing: Insulation

Mr John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what information is held by Ofgem on (a) the location of households who have had cavity wall installations under the Energy Company Obligation Scheme and (b) which companies have funded each such installation.

Amber Rudd: Ofgem holds information relating to a) the address at which a measure is installed, and b) the energy company that funded a measure, for all measures notified to it under the Energy Companies Obligation. The following document lists all the information provided by energy companies to Ofgem for each notified ECO measure:https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/eco-notification-data-dictionary-v1.3.

Housing: Insulation

Mr John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the debate on Cavity Wall Insulation of 3 February 2015, Official Report, columns 3-6WH, what steps he has taken to identify information held on householders whose cavity wall installations were carried out under the Carbon Emission Reduction Target and the Community Energy Saving Programme.

Amber Rudd: I have instructed DECC officials to explore the proposals raised at the Westminster Hall debate on 3 February 2015 with Ofgem (who administer ECO) and the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA), who provide commercial guarantees for Cavity Wall Insulation.

Housing: Carbon Emissions

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of the report by the Zero Carbon Hub on Assessing Overheating Risk, published in March 2015.

Amber Rudd: The Department is reviewing the report by the Zero Carbon Hub on Assessing Overheating Risk as well as the other Evidence Review Reports which have been produced. We will take steps to ensure the Zero Carbon Hub’s research can be made relevant to the development of the tools used to assess household energy performance such as the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP).

Housing: Insulation

Mr John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment his Department has made of the accuracy of estimates provided to his Department by the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency of the number of cavity wall installations that result in complaints.

Amber Rudd: I have instructed DECC officials to explore the proposals raised at the Westminster Hall debate on 3 February 2015 with Ofgem (who administer ECO) and the Cavity Wall Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA), who provide commercial guarantees for Cavity Wall Insulation. I also met with CIGA on 24 February to discuss this important issue.

Energy: Debts

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many prepayment meter customers are in arrears for (a) electricity and (b) gas in (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland, (iii) England and (iv) Wales in each year from May 2010 up to the most recent period for which records are available.

Amber Rudd: The Department does not hold information on how many prepayment customers are in arrears with their electricity and/or gas supply company.Ofgem closely monitors domestic energy suppliers’ performance and publishes information in relation to debt owed by domestic customers for their electricity and gas supplies in its Social Obligations Annual Reports:https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/about-us/how-we-work/working-consumers/supplier-performance-social-obligations.

Energy: Prices

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of what the average household (a) gas and (b) electricity bill was in (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland, (iii) England, (iv) Wales and (v) Northern Ireland in each of the last two years.

Amber Rudd: Estimates of average domestic energy bills are published by DECC in the quarterly energy prices publication:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/domestic-energy-pricesData is not separately available for England and Wales as it is reported to DECC for each public electricity supply regions (PES regions); Merseyside and North Wales is one of these regions. Gas in not widely used in the domestic sector in Northern Ireland, so estimates are not available. The 2014 data are provisional and will be revised on 26 March 2015.

Energy: Prices

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2015 to Question 220887, what powers his Department plans to give Ofgem to ensure that gas suppliers cannot ask a vulnerable customer to pay a standing charge if they are not consuming gas at all.

Amber Rudd: Ofgem has been clear to suppliers that customers in vulnerable situations should not have to pay a standing charge if they are not consuming any gas. It is for Ofgem, as the independent regulator, to decide whether further action is necessary.

Green Deal Scheme

Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether he plans that upgrading of (a) oil boilers and (b) LPG boilers will be mandated to installing energy companies as being available to qualifying householders under the revised Green Deal Home Improvement Fund.

Amber Rudd: The Department has a strong package of policies delivering assistance to those in need, including: the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), the Warm Home Discount and the Big Energy Saving Network. The Government also provides financial support through Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments. The All-Party Parliamentary Group and Ministerial Roundtable on heating oil and LPG supply will continue working to determine whether further action is required.The Department does not have plans to include oil and LPG boilers as measures available under the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund.

Renewable Energy

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the effect of (a) onshore wind, (b) offshore wind, (c) solar, (d) biomass, (e) wave and (f) tidal energy generation on the average domestic energy bill in 2014.

Amber Rudd: Holding answer received on 16 March 2015



In November 2014, the Government published estimates of the impact of energy and climate change policies on energy prices and bills:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-impacts-of-energy-and-climate-change-policies-on-energy-prices-and-bills-2014.

Energy: Finance

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to paragraph 23 of his Department's grant confirmation letter of 11 January 2010 to the MOZES community energy co-operative, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that eligible third sector organisations and local authorities will be allowed to receive grant funding from the Low Carbon Communities Challenge and feed-in tariffs.

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the options available to restructure the 2010 grant to the MOZES community energy cooperative in Nottingham in order to make it State Aid compliant.

Amber Rudd: Holding answer received on 16 March 2015



The Department wrote to recipients of the Low Carbon Communities Challenge (LCCC) grant in 2010 when it became clear that the European Commission considered the feed-in tariff scheme (FIT) to be state aid, and therefore not permissible to be combined with the LCCC grant, as originally intended. Officials offered advice to the projects at that time.The LCCC award letter made it clear that any income from FIT payments could only be spent on additional carbon reduction initiatives and therefore not to fund the maintenance costs of renewable energy systems installed under the LCCC grant. Some projects may have received grant funding for activities that are not associated with purchasing and installing renewable energy technologies. Such costs are not covered by the FIT and so can be supported by public grants without affecting eligibility for the FIT under the current rules. We will be issuing guidance that gives more clarity on this issue.We will also be issuing guidance for new community groups covering: the treatment of different community ownership models under the FIT scheme; and reaching agreement with a commercial developer over sharing FIT payments.

Macquarie Bank

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which of his Department's projects Macquarie Bank has invested in since May 2010; and how much it has invested in each such project.

Amber Rudd: The Department’s financial records show that no payments were received through the Department’s financial system from Macquarie Bank from 1 January 2010 to 12 March 2015.

MOZES

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, on what date his Department received the report from Ray Noble on the MOZES community energy cooperative in Nottingham.

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will place in the Library an unredacted copy of the report commissioned by his Department from Ray Noble on the MOZES community energy pilot scheme in Nottingham.

Amber Rudd: Holding answer received on 16 March 2015



At the Department’s request, Mr Noble agreed to offer the MOZES community energy co-operative free advice on the maintenance costs for their renewable energy installations. The Department did not commission a report from him.

Cabinet Office

Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in his Department responded that they were treated fairly at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Mr Francis Maude: The Government will shortly publish a review by Disability Rights UK which examines the health and disability-related barriers to progression within the Civil Service. Alongside it we will publish a refreshed Talent Action Plan which responds to its conclusions. Analysis of responses to the People Survey will be included.

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Alistair Burt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many cases before the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman are awaiting allocation of an assessor.

Alistair Burt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what average length of time a case with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has taken to conclude in each of the last five years.

Alistair Burt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people are employed by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman; and how many people were so employed (a) 12 months and (b) five years ago.

Mr Oliver Letwin: The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman publish information on staffing and their performance in their Annual Report and Resource Accounts which are laid before Parliament. I have asked the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to write to the Hon. Member with further detail on the specific questions raised. Copies of the reply will be placed in the House Library.

Job Creation: South East

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of full-time jobs created in (a) Woking constituency, (b) Surrey and (c) the South East since May 2010.

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many new part-time jobs were created in (a) Woking constituency, (b) Surrey and (c) the South East since May 2010.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. 



Excel Spreadsheet for Member - Jobs Created
(Excel SpreadSheet, 12.74 KB)




ONS Letter to Member - Jobs Created
(PDF Document, 97.26 KB)

Advertising

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department spent on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) national newspaper advertisements, (d) local newspaper advertisements, (e) social media advertising and (f) other types of advertising in each year since 2010.

Mr Francis Maude: My Department is responsible for cross-Government communication as set out in the Annual Government Communication Plan. As part of our long-term economic plan we have substantially reformed Government communications since the 2010 General Election, abolishing the Central Office of Information and ensuring that Government communications activity is better coordinated and more effective. Thanks to these reforms we have halved the cost to taxpayers of government communications since the 2010 General Election. The NAO has confirmed that Government made savings of £378 million in each of the last two financial years on proactive paid-for communications, compared to a 2009-10 baseline. This is based on proactive (paid-for) communications spend of £589m in 09/10, £216m in 12/13 and £210m in 13/14.My department regularly publishes data on: www.data.gov.uk showing how public money has been spent and how government is performing against its objectives and goals.

Legislative Drafting

Sir Richard Shepherd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what arrangements are in place for Parliamentary Counsel to refer to the Law Officers proposals for legislation which appear to Parliamentary Counsel to be compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights but objectionable on fundamental grounds of fairness or legislative propriety.

Mr Oliver Letwin: All Government Bills are subject to collective agreement and as part of this process the Law Officers’ offices are consulted. All Bills are published along with a statement of compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights and most Bills are accompanied by a memorandum setting out the interaction with Convention rights.

Legislative Drafting

Sir Richard Shepherd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what arrangements are in place to ensure that the drafting of statutory guidance, codes of practice and other forms of secondary legislation is of a consistent quality across Government and fit for purpose.

Mr Oliver Letwin: The drafting of secondary legislation is the responsibility of lawyers in Government Departments. The Government Legal Service runs a structured training programme, and produces comprehensive guidance on drafting statutory instruments. The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel also makes its drafting guidance available to Departmental lawyers.

Legislative Drafting

Sir Richard Shepherd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of Acts of Parliament in the present Parliament included a power for Ministers to make supplementary and incidental provision by secondary legislation for the purpose of giving full effect to the Act or for similar purposes; and if he will make arrangements to restrict instances of those powers to cases where they can be justified by urgency or other factors preventing the Bill for the Act from dealing fully with consequential and incidental matters.

Mr Oliver Letwin: The United Kingdom has an extensive statute book, which extends back hundreds of years, so Government Bills often need make provision against the background of this complex legislative landscape. Powers to make supplementary and incidental provision by secondary legislation are often needed to ensure that an Act produces the result intended by Parliament.

Office of the Parliamentary Counsel

Sir Richard Shepherd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what changes have been made in the structure and working arrangements of the Parliamentary Counsel Office in the present Parliament; and what steps have been taken to ensure that those changes do not adversely affect the quality of legislative drafting.

Mr Oliver Letwin: The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel continue to draft all Government Bills. The teams within the office are allocated to departments. This helps to build strong working relationships with departmental officials and legal advisors. Within the office there are arrangements in place to share expertise and identify key lessons from each Bill.

Legislative Drafting

Sir Richard Shepherd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which recommendations of Lord Renton's Report on the Preparation of Legislation, Cmnd. 6053, published in 1975, have yet to be implemented; and what arrangements are proposed for the implementation of those recommendations.

Mr Oliver Letwin: Lord Renton’s report provides valuable lessons on how legislation is prepared and since its publication in 1975 there have many more similar reports. The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel are leading the Good Law initiative to help ensure that law is necessary, clear, coherent, effective and accessible. As part of our commitment to achieve better legislation, this Government has published record numbers of Bills in draft for pre-legislative scrutiny.

Department for Culture Media and Sport

Advertising

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his Department's advertising and communications expenditure was in each month since September 2014; and what that expenditure is forecast to be in March 2015.

Mrs Helen Grant: Since September 2014 until March 2015, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s advertising and communications expenditure was as follows:· A national awareness campaign for superfast broadband (December 2014 - March 2015). Expenditure included the media buying costs (e.g. the airtime for TV/press adverts) as well as production costs for adverts (TV/radio/digital/out of home), social media activity and a toolkit of materials for local authorities.· As part of the Government’s Business is GREAT campaign, the Department carried out advertising aimed at small businesses to encourage them to take up a grant for superfast broadband connection for their businesses. This ran September - December 2014 and comprised media buying costs (out of home posters, local press advertisements and radio airtime) and production costs (e.g. photography, fees, printing).· Design was commissioned for digital media activity, in support of other on-going communications campaigns (improving mobile coverage and free Wi-Fi in public buildings) as the Department does not have its own in-house design team. The breakdown of expenditure by month, by invoiced date is attached.



Table for 226595
(Word Document, 12.3 KB)

Tickets: Sales

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment process his Department plans to implement for the 12 month secondary ticketing review.

Mrs Helen Grant: The statutory review of the secondary ticketing market will be a full review of consumer protection measures in the market. It will be independently led and it will be presented to Parliament.

Tickets: Sales

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department plans to have a chair for the review process for secondary ticketing.

Mrs Helen Grant: The Government intends to appoint a chair to lead the statutory review of the secondary ticket market.

Wind Power: South West

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has made to the inquiry on the proposal for the Navitus Bay offshore wind farm on the effect on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site of that proposal.

Mr Edward Vaizey: My Right Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport wrote to the Planning Inspectorate in February 2015 to urge that the impact of the wind farm on the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site be taken into account in the planning process.

House of Commons Commission

Conditions of Employment

Mr Frank Field: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2015 to Question 225489, if the Commission will make it its policy to collect information from contractors operating on the parliamentary estate on how many of their workers are employed on a zero-hours contract.

John Thurso: As I indicated in my answer, the House does not routinely collect this information from contractors operating on the parliamentary estate and has no plans to do so. The House is committed to offering guaranteed minimum hours contracts to all directly-employed staff on call-off (zero hours) contracts and has completed a process of offering guaranteed minimum hours contracts to all affected staff.

Department of Health

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) public dividend capital and (b) other non-tariff payments have been made to the Mid-Stafforshire NHS Foundation Trust in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11, (iii) 2011-12, (iv) 2012-13, (v) 2013-14 and (vi) 2014-15 to date.

Dr Daniel Poulter: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 10 March 2015.The correct answer should have been:

The Department holds records of the total capital allocated to the respective recipient bodies as a result of the transfer of Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust services but does not have details of the breakdown by individual hospital site.   The capital provided to date is as follows:   The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust£12,109,000University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust£12,153,000Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust£4,000,000Grand Total£28,262,000   Revenue funding provided to date is set out in the following table:   The Royal Wolverhampton NHS TrustUniversity Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust £32,420,000University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS TrustThe Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust£5,480,000Grand Total£37,900,000   The amount of public dividend capital issued to the Trust by the Department is as follows:   2009/10£214,0002010/11£02011/12£21,000,0002012/13£21,385,0002013/14£30,397,0002014/15£64,425,000   The Department does not hold central records of non-tariff payments made by local commissioning bodies to NHS providers.   The work of the trust special administrators (TSAs) to secure safe and sustainable services at Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust cost Monitor almost £19.5 million, including VAT, over 18 months.   The first phase of trust special administration cost £9 million, including expenses and VAT. During this phase there was a team of up to 30 members of staff who carried out three core tasks - to help to run the Trust, to design the future of services provided at Stafford and Cannock hospitals, and to run a large public consultation involving thousands of responses and a series of public meetings.   The second phase cost £10.5 million, including expenses and VAT. We are informed by Monitor that this second phase included a team of up to 50 people, which was required to continue to help run the hospital and implement the TSA’s recommendations.   We are also informed by Monitor that trust special administration at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust amounted to the rounded figure of 10,900 person-days for teams working on both phases of the process.   In the table below, expenses incurred during the TSA process are split by the two phases of the TSA and totals are also provided. These expenses include:   (a) accommodation; (b) travel (car, taxi and train); (c) subsistence; and (d) other expenses incurred; and what other costs to the TSA were incurred   Breakdown of expenses, these exclude VAT:TSA1TSA2TotalAccommodation£82,242.89£170,622.67£252,865.56Travel£144,122.38£226,600.29£370,722.67Subsistence£16,171.73£43,176.88£59,348.61Other (incidentals such as printing, room hire and meeting refreshments)£1,939.11£3052.73£4991.84Total£244,476.11£443,452.57£687,928.68

Dr Daniel Poulter: The Department holds records of the total capital allocated to the respective recipient bodies as a result of the transfer of Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust services but does not have details of the breakdown by individual hospital site.   The capital provided to date is as follows:   The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust£12,109,000University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust£12,153,000Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust£4,000,000Grand Total£28,262,000   Revenue funding provided to date is set out in the following table:   The Royal Wolverhampton NHS TrustUniversity Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust £32,420,000University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS TrustThe Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust£5,480,000Grand Total£37,900,000   The amount of public dividend capital issued to the Trust by the Department is as follows:   2009/10£214,0002010/11£02011/12£21,000,0002012/13£21,385,0002013/14£30,397,0002014/15£64,425,000   The Department does not hold central records of non-tariff payments made by local commissioning bodies to NHS providers.   The work of the trust special administrators (TSAs) to secure safe and sustainable services at Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust cost Monitor almost £19.5 million, including VAT, over 18 months.   The first phase of trust special administration cost £9 million, including expenses and VAT. During this phase there was a team of up to 30 members of staff who carried out three core tasks - to help to run the Trust, to design the future of services provided at Stafford and Cannock hospitals, and to run a large public consultation involving thousands of responses and a series of public meetings.   The second phase cost £10.5 million, including expenses and VAT. We are informed by Monitor that this second phase included a team of up to 50 people, which was required to continue to help run the hospital and implement the TSA’s recommendations.   We are also informed by Monitor that trust special administration at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust amounted to the rounded figure of 10,900 person-days for teams working on both phases of the process.   In the table below, expenses incurred during the TSA process are split by the two phases of the TSA and totals are also provided. These expenses include:   (a) accommodation; (b) travel (car, taxi and train); (c) subsistence; and (d) other expenses incurred; and what other costs to the TSA were incurred   Breakdown of expenses, these exclude VAT:TSA1TSA2TotalAccommodation£82,242.89£170,622.67£252,865.56Travel£144,122.38£226,600.29£370,722.67Subsistence£16,171.73£43,176.88£59,348.61Other (incidentals such as printing, room hire and meeting refreshments)£1,939.11£3052.73£4991.84Total£244,476.11£443,452.57£687,928.68

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many consultants have been employed by the Trust Special Administration (TSA) of the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust since its inception; how many person-days they have worked; what (a) accommodation, (b) travel, (c) subsistence and (d) other expenses they have incurred; and what other costs to the TSA they have incurred.

Dr Daniel Poulter: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 10 March 2015.The correct answer should have been:

The Department holds records of the total capital allocated to the respective recipient bodies as a result of the transfer of Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust services but does not have details of the breakdown by individual hospital site.   The capital provided to date is as follows:   The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust£12,109,000University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust£12,153,000Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust£4,000,000Grand Total£28,262,000   Revenue funding provided to date is set out in the following table:   The Royal Wolverhampton NHS TrustUniversity Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust£32,420,000University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS TrustThe Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust£5,480,000Grand Total£37,900,000   The amount of public dividend capital issued to the Trust by the Department is as follows:   2009/10£214,0002010/11£02011/12£21,000,0002012/13£21,385,0002013/14£30,397,0002014/15£64,425,000   The Department does not hold central records of non-tariff payments made by local commissioning bodies to NHS providers.   The work of the trust special administrators (TSAs) to secure safe and sustainable services at Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust cost Monitor almost £19.5 million, including VAT, over 18 months.   The first phase of trust special administration cost £9 million, including expenses and VAT. During this phase there was a team of up to 30 members of staff who carried out three core tasks - to help to run the Trust, to design the future of services provided at Stafford and Cannock hospitals, and to run a large public consultation involving thousands of responses and a series of public meetings.   The second phase cost £10.5 million, including expenses and VAT. We are informed by Monitor that this second phase included a team of up to 50 people, which was required to continue to help run the hospital and implement the TSA’s recommendations.   We are also informed by Monitor that trust special administration at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust amounted to the rounded figure of 10,900 person-days for teams working on both phases of the process.   In the table below, expenses incurred during the TSA process are split by the two phases of the TSA and totals are also provided. These expenses include:   (a) accommodation; (b) travel (car, taxi and train); (c) subsistence; and (d) other expenses incurred; and what other costs to the TSA were incurred   Breakdown of expenses, these exclude VAT:TSA1TSA2TotalAccommodation£82,242.89£170,622.67£252,865.56Travel£144,122.38£226,600.29£370,722.67Subsistence£16,171.73£43,176.88£59,348.61Other (incidentals such as printing, room hire and meeting refreshments)£1,939.11£3052.73£4991.84Total£244,476.11£443,452.57£687,928.68

Dr Daniel Poulter: The Department holds records of the total capital allocated to the respective recipient bodies as a result of the transfer of Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust services but does not have details of the breakdown by individual hospital site.   The capital provided to date is as follows:   The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust£12,109,000University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust£12,153,000Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust£4,000,000Grand Total£28,262,000   Revenue funding provided to date is set out in the following table:   The Royal Wolverhampton NHS TrustUniversity Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust£32,420,000University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS TrustThe Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust£5,480,000Grand Total£37,900,000   The amount of public dividend capital issued to the Trust by the Department is as follows:   2009/10£214,0002010/11£02011/12£21,000,0002012/13£21,385,0002013/14£30,397,0002014/15£64,425,000   The Department does not hold central records of non-tariff payments made by local commissioning bodies to NHS providers.   The work of the trust special administrators (TSAs) to secure safe and sustainable services at Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust cost Monitor almost £19.5 million, including VAT, over 18 months.   The first phase of trust special administration cost £9 million, including expenses and VAT. During this phase there was a team of up to 30 members of staff who carried out three core tasks - to help to run the Trust, to design the future of services provided at Stafford and Cannock hospitals, and to run a large public consultation involving thousands of responses and a series of public meetings.   The second phase cost £10.5 million, including expenses and VAT. We are informed by Monitor that this second phase included a team of up to 50 people, which was required to continue to help run the hospital and implement the TSA’s recommendations.   We are also informed by Monitor that trust special administration at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust amounted to the rounded figure of 10,900 person-days for teams working on both phases of the process.   In the table below, expenses incurred during the TSA process are split by the two phases of the TSA and totals are also provided. These expenses include:   (a) accommodation; (b) travel (car, taxi and train); (c) subsistence; and (d) other expenses incurred; and what other costs to the TSA were incurred   Breakdown of expenses, these exclude VAT:TSA1TSA2TotalAccommodation£82,242.89£170,622.67£252,865.56Travel£144,122.38£226,600.29£370,722.67Subsistence£16,171.73£43,176.88£59,348.61Other (incidentals such as printing, room hire and meeting refreshments)£1,939.11£3052.73£4991.84Total£244,476.11£443,452.57£687,928.68

Hospitals: West Midlands

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department has provided to implement the recommendations of the Trust Special Administration of Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust on (a) capital investment in Stafford Hospital, (b) capital investment in Royal Stoke University Hospital, (c) capital investment in Cannock Hospital, (d) capital investment in New Cross Hospital, (e) other capital investment, (f) revenue support for the University Hospitals of the North Midlands NHS Trust, (g) revenue support for the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals Trust and (h) other revenue support.

Dr Daniel Poulter: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 10 March 2015.The correct answer should have been:

The Department holds records of the total capital allocated to the respective recipient bodies as a result of the transfer of Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust services but does not have details of the breakdown by individual hospital site.   The capital provided to date is as follows:   The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust£12,109,000University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust£12,153,000Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust£4,000,000Grand Total£28,262,000   Revenue funding provided to date is set out in the following table:   The Royal Wolverhampton NHS TrustUniversity Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust£32,420,000University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS TrustThe Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust£5,480,000Grand Total£37,900,000   The amount of public dividend capital issued to the Trust by the Department is as follows:   2009/10£214,0002010/11£02011/12£21,000,0002012/13£21,385,0002013/14£30,397,0002014/15£64,425,000   The Department does not hold central records of non-tariff payments made by local commissioning bodies to NHS providers.   The work of the trust special administrators (TSAs) to secure safe and sustainable services at Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust cost Monitor almost £19.5 million, including VAT, over 18 months.   The first phase of trust special administration cost £9 million, including expenses and VAT. During this phase there was a team of up to 30 members of staff who carried out three core tasks - to help to run the Trust, to design the future of services provided at Stafford and Cannock hospitals, and to run a large public consultation involving thousands of responses and a series of public meetings.   The second phase cost £10.5 million, including expenses and VAT. We are informed by Monitor that this second phase included a team of up to 50 people, which was required to continue to help run the hospital and implement the TSA’s recommendations.   We are also informed by Monitor that trust special administration at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust amounted to the rounded figure of 10,900 person-days for teams working on both phases of the process.   In the table below, expenses incurred during the TSA process are split by the two phases of the TSA and totals are also provided. These expenses include:   (a) accommodation; (b) travel (car, taxi and train); (c) subsistence; and (d) other expenses incurred; and what other costs to the TSA were incurred   Breakdown of expenses, these exclude VAT:TSA1TSA2TotalAccommodation£82,242.89£170,622.67£252,865.56Travel£144,122.38£226,600.29£370,722.67Subsistence£16,171.73£43,176.88£59,348.61Other (incidentals such as printing, room hire and meeting refreshments)£1,939.11£3052.73£4991.84Total£244,476.11£443,452.57£687,928.68

Dr Daniel Poulter: The Department holds records of the total capital allocated to the respective recipient bodies as a result of the transfer of Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust services but does not have details of the breakdown by individual hospital site.   The capital provided to date is as follows:   The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust£12,109,000University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust£12,153,000Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust£4,000,000Grand Total£28,262,000   Revenue funding provided to date is set out in the following table:   The Royal Wolverhampton NHS TrustUniversity Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust£32,420,000University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS TrustThe Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust£5,480,000Grand Total£37,900,000   The amount of public dividend capital issued to the Trust by the Department is as follows:   2009/10£214,0002010/11£02011/12£21,000,0002012/13£21,385,0002013/14£30,397,0002014/15£64,425,000   The Department does not hold central records of non-tariff payments made by local commissioning bodies to NHS providers.   The work of the trust special administrators (TSAs) to secure safe and sustainable services at Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust cost Monitor almost £19.5 million, including VAT, over 18 months.   The first phase of trust special administration cost £9 million, including expenses and VAT. During this phase there was a team of up to 30 members of staff who carried out three core tasks - to help to run the Trust, to design the future of services provided at Stafford and Cannock hospitals, and to run a large public consultation involving thousands of responses and a series of public meetings.   The second phase cost £10.5 million, including expenses and VAT. We are informed by Monitor that this second phase included a team of up to 50 people, which was required to continue to help run the hospital and implement the TSA’s recommendations.   We are also informed by Monitor that trust special administration at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust amounted to the rounded figure of 10,900 person-days for teams working on both phases of the process.   In the table below, expenses incurred during the TSA process are split by the two phases of the TSA and totals are also provided. These expenses include:   (a) accommodation; (b) travel (car, taxi and train); (c) subsistence; and (d) other expenses incurred; and what other costs to the TSA were incurred   Breakdown of expenses, these exclude VAT:TSA1TSA2TotalAccommodation£82,242.89£170,622.67£252,865.56Travel£144,122.38£226,600.29£370,722.67Subsistence£16,171.73£43,176.88£59,348.61Other (incidentals such as printing, room hire and meeting refreshments)£1,939.11£3052.73£4991.84Total£244,476.11£443,452.57£687,928.68

Dialysis Machines

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the changes in the level of funding allocated to renal patients on dialysis.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with (a) health experts, (b) charities, (c) lobby groups, (d) NHS patients and (e) doctors and nurses on the change in the level of funding allocated to renal patients on dialysis.

Jane Ellison: Funding is not allocated to renal patients on dialysis in the way that the question seems to suggest. The National Tariff Payment System, which is the responsibility of Monitor and NHS England, does however include prices for renal dialysis that are payable to providers.   Draft prices for 2015/16, based on the costs of providing treatment as reported by National Health Service providers, were published in July 2014. Feedback from this engagement exercise, which ended on 15 August, was carefully considered and further discussions about the draft prices for renal dialysis took place with stakeholders, including the National Kidney Federation, British Kidney Patient Association, Renal Association, Kidney Research UK.   A meeting was held on 1 October at which the concerns raised by the renal community in relation to the draft prices published in July were discussed. As a result of that discussion, it was agreed that the 2014/15 haemodialysis best practice tariff prices would be rolled forward for 2015/16 (subject to the adjustment for efficiency and costs), subject to the outcome of the statutory consultation on the 2015/16 National Tariff.   As an interim measure, Monitor and NHS England offered providers a choice between an Enhanced Tariff Option (based on 2015/16 prices and revised proposals) or to default, staying with 2014/15 prices. The roll-over of 2014/15 haemodialysis best practice tariff prices is included in the Enhanced tariff Option offer.

Medical Treatments

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2015 to Question 224950, what communications NHS England has received from (a) hon. Members and (b) other interested parties on each treatment currently due for consideration through NHS England's specialised commissioning prioritisation process.

Jane Ellison: NHS England advises that this information is not collected in a way that would allow for a break-down in the way requested.

Specialised Commissioning Oversight Group

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the remit is of NHS England's Specialised Commissioning Oversight Group; what plans NHS England has for the future of that Group; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: NHS England’s Specialised Commissioning Oversight Group has a remit to: - provide assurance to NHS England that specialised commissioning strategic priorities are being met through operational delivery; - drive the continuous improvement of standards and outcomes; - reduce reduction of variation and inequalities for specialised commissioning; and - provide assurance that there are robust systems and processes in place for the monitoring and assurance of Specialised Commissioning.   NHS England has advised that the current plans are to continue the group as established.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2015 to Question 224947, for what reasons the data requested is aggregated over the three years 2012-14; and if he will provide the figures for (a) 2012, (b) 2013 and (c) 2014 separately.

George Freeman: I regret that the information in my answer of 2 March 2015 was not provided in the format requested. I apologise for this oversight.   The information is shown in the table1.201220132014Patient organisations463940Manufacturers182232Professional organisations584749Other organisations231213 1 Some organisations will be involved in more than one year.   Source: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

Surveys

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in his Department responded that they were treated fairly at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.

Dr Daniel Poulter: In the 2014 People Survey, 74% of the Department’s respondents declaring a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded positively to the question ‘I am treated fairly at work’.   86% of the Department’s respondents declaring that they did not have a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability responded positively to this question.

Cervical Cancer

Mr Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2015 to Question 225373, if he will make it his policy that GPs should be able to commission cervical smear tests for diagnostic purposes to investigate presenting symptoms outside the routine screening timeframes; and what additional opportunities there are for patients to be tested for diagnostic purposes outside the screening programme.

Jane Ellison: A smear test is primarily used for screening purposes, and is unlikely to be appropriate when a woman has gynaecological issues that are symptomatic of cancer.   In such cases the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer (2005) are available to help general practitioners (GPs) assess when it is appropriate to refer patients for suspected cancer, including cervical cancer. The Guidelines make clear recommendations in relation to gynaecological cancer, and state that:   “A patient who presents with symptoms suggesting gynaecological cancer should be referred to a team specialising in the management of gynaecological cancer, depending on local arrangements.”   In relation to cervical cancer the guidelines make clear that a smear test is not required before referral:   “In patients found on examination to have clinical features that raise the suspicion of cervical cancer, an urgent referral should be made. A cervical smear test is not required before referral, and a previous negative cancer smear result is not a reason to delay referral.”   Therefore, when a woman is experiencing gynaecological problems which are symptomatic of gynaecological cancer, their GP would be expected to refer them to the appropriate specialist without needing to conduct a smear test.

Clinical Priorities Advisory Group

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2015 to Question 224941, on which occasions the (a) Clinical Priorities Advisory Group has rejected a recommendation made by a clinical reference group and (b) Directly Commissioned Services Committee has rejected a recommendation made by the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group; what estimate NHS England has made of the average length of time between a clinical reference group making a recommendation and a final decision being made by the Directly Commissioned Services Committee; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: The Directly Commissioned Services Committee has been disbanded as a governance committee within NHS England. The Specialised Services Oversight Group (SCOG) now makes the final decisions regarding Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG) recommendations. The average time between the Clinical Reference Group recommendation being made at CPAG and SCOG making a decision is two weeks.   Final decisions on commissioning policies are often subject to discussion between the Clinical Reference Group and CPAG. Recommendations from Clinical Reference Groups may be modified and re-proposed before a final decision.

NHS: Research

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2015 to Question 223768, on which dates since 24 November 2014 he has discussed with NHS England its revised approach to promoting and taking account of research in the new healthcare system; and what the content of those discussions was.

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2015 to Question 223768, when NHS England plans to publish its revised approach to promoting and taking account of research in the new healthcare system; and what plans NHS England has to hold a formal consultation on that revised approach.

George Freeman: Since 24 November 2014, there have been no discussions between my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and NHS England on its revised approach to promoting and taking account of research in the new healthcare system. However, discussions between senior officials in the Department and NHS England are ongoing.   NHS England will be setting out high level plans through their Business Plan, which is due to be published on 27 March 2015. NHS England does not routinely consult on business plans and, as such, no formal consultation has been planned.

NHS: Finance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer to Question 224981 of 2 March 2015, how the implementation by NHS England of policies differs when they are (a) official, (b) officially expired but maintained and (c) officially expired but not maintained; what steps NHS England takes to ensure that relevant parties are notified that policies are being maintained once they have officially expired; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman: NHS England has advised that, if a clinical policy is no longer considered required, for example, due to the publication of final technology appraisal guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, then the policy is removed from its website and NHS England teams and hospitals are made aware of this through internal communications.   NHS England notifies other relevant parties through its Clinical Reference Groups’ registered stakeholders.

Hepatitis

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) terms of reference, (b) membership, (c) timelines for delivery and (d) scheduled meeting dates of NHS England's Hepatitis C Collaboration Task and Finish Group.

Jane Ellison: NHS England's Hepatitis C Collaboration Task and Finish Group was established to examine issues involving a number of commissioners and bodies involved in the Hepatitis C pathway. Its final report will identify issues, actions and lead responsibilities. A date has not been set for the final meeting of the group, but it is planned for the last two weeks in April. A copy of the membership and terms of reference of the group is attached. 



Membership and terms of reference 
(Word Document, 49.25 KB)

NHS: Finance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2015 to Question 224949, on what date NHS England began reviewing its policy on individual funding requests; which parties are contributing to that review; when he expects the review to conclude; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman: NHS England has advised that it will be reviewing its policy on individual funding requests during 2015 and the timescale of this review will be determined in the coming weeks.   NHS England will consider how the policy will be reviewed and who will be involved.

Radiotherapy

Mr Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what forecast his Department has made of the likely cost per patient of receiving proton beam therapy treatment at one of the two planned centres for such therapy.

Jane Ellison: At full capacity, the estimated cost per patient receiving proton beam therapy in the United Kingdom is expected to be approximately £35,000.

Cancer

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that people requiring urgent cancer treatment are fast-tracked to avoid lengthy waiting times.

Jane Ellison: There are eight cancer waiting time targets, which are set out below.   - at least 93% of patients to be seen by a specialist within two weeks of an urgent general practitioner referral for suspected cancer; - at least 96% of patients to begin first definitive treatment within 31 days of diagnosis for all cancers; - at least 85% of patients to begin first treatment within 62 days of urgent referral for suspected cancer for all cancers; - at least 93% of people urgently referred for breast symptoms (where cancer was not initially suspected) to be seen within two weeks of referral; - at least 98% of patients to be treated within 31 days where the subsequent treatment was an anti-cancer drug regime; - at least 94% of patients to be treated within 31 days where the subsequent treatment was surgery; - at least 94% of patients to be treated within 31 days where the subsequent treatment was radiotherapy; and - at least 90% of patients to begin first treatment for cancer within 62 days of referral from a National Health Service cancer screening service, for all cancers.   During this Parliament, urgent cancer referrals are up by 51% as we treat more patients than ever, and cancer survival rates that were amongst the worst in Western Europe have risen to record levels.

Radiotherapy

Mr Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effects on existing hospital services of the installation of proton beam therapy centres at (a) the Christie Hospital in Manchester and (b) University College London.

Jane Ellison: The installation of proton beam therapy centres at The Christie and University College London Hospitals will enable us to treat more patients than ever before.

Radiotherapy

Mr Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his most recent estimate is of the likely cost of (a) construction and (b) annual operation of the proton beam therapy centre at the Christie Hospital in Manchester.

Jane Ellison: The Full Business Case for The Christie in Manchester indicates that the cost of construction will be £135.03 million and the annual operating costs (at full capacity) to be up to £24 million per year.

Radiotherapy

Mr Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his most recent estimate is of the likely cost of (a) construction and (b) annual operation of the proton beam therapy centre at University College, London.

Jane Ellison: The Full Business Case for the University College London Hospitals indicates that the cost of construction will be £138.6 million and the annual operating costs (at full capacity) to be up to £25.5 million per year.

Radiotherapy

Mr Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, where on the site of (a) the Christie Hospital in Manchester and (b) University College London the new proton beam therapy centres will be located.

Jane Ellison: The locations are as follows: the new proton beam therapy centre at The Christies, will be on the former Young Oncology site, Oak Road, Manchester, M20 3BA. The new proton beam therapy centre at University College London Hospitals will be on the former Rosenheim site on Grafton Way, London, WC1E 6DB.

Parkinson's Disease: Drugs

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2015 to Question 224941, what the precise recommendation made by the Clinical Reference Group referred to in that Answer was; whether that recommendation related to (a) in year or (b) ongoing routine commissioning; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman: NHS England has advised that its Neuroscience Clinical Reference Group’s recommendation was to approve the clinical policy to support the routine commissioning of levodopa-carpidopa intestinal gel for advanced Parkinson’s disease and to go out to full public consultation.   The recommendation related to an in year commissioning decision.

Mental Health Services: Young People

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of teenage mental health services.

Norman Lamb: Improving children and young people’s mental health is a Government priority and part of our commitment to achieving equality between mental and physical health.   The Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Taskforce was launched in September to look at how we can provide more joined up and accessible services built around the needs of children, young people and their families. The Government report of the Taskforce’s findings, Future in mind, was published today, and sets out a clear national ambition in the form of key aspirations that the Government would wish to see by 2020. This includes: tackling stigma and improving attitudes, more access and waiting time standards, information and self-help via online tools and apps, changing the way services are commissioned, ‘one stop shop’ support services in the community, improved access to support through named points of contact in specialist mental health services and schools, improved care for children and young people in crisis, mental health training for health professionals including general practitioners, teachers and others who work with children and young people and improved access for children and young people who are particularly vulnerable.   Additionally, the Deputy Prime Minister announced this weekend that children and young people’s mental health services in England will receive £250 million a year over the course of the next Parliament. This investment will provide additional funding to improve access to high quality services across the country so that at least 110,000 more children and young people with mental health problems are able to receive treatment between now and 2019/20 and that there are new waiting times standards. This includes increased funding for the national roll-out and extension of the Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme, which is a transformation programme which aims to improve access to evidence-based psychological therapies for children and young people. Additionally, the investment will also improve access to perinatal mental health services for women experiencing mental ill health during either the antenatal or perinatal period.

Hepatitis

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with which stakeholders officials from (a) NHS England and (b) his Department have discussed implementation of a fast-track interim policy for hepatitis C patients.

George Freeman: NHS England has advised that its second phase early access policies for hepatitis C drugs for patients with cirrhosis are being developed within its In Year Service Development procedure.   In doing so, NHS England has engaged with clinical and patient stakeholders from the national clinical reference groups. The Blood and Infection National Programme of Care Board is expected to consider the duration of public consultation needed before NHS England considers the draft policy for approval.   The Department is not involved in this process.

NHS: Finance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer to Question 224945 of 2 March 2015, what estimate he has made of the number of decisions taken by screening panels which are made in error; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman: NHS England has advised that decisions taken by screening panels are made in accordance with its interim commissioning policy on individual funding requests, which is available at:   www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/cp-03.pdf   Its individual funding request screening panels are skilled, experienced and trained in their role and NHS England does not consider that any decisions are made in error.

Radiotherapy

Mr Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on procuring proton beam therapy equipment for hospitals in the UK; when he plans to announce the supplier of proton beam therapy technology to the NHS; and what evaluation he has undertaken of the cost and clinical effectiveness of rival designs.

Jane Ellison: On 11 March 2015, the Department announced that Varian Medical Systems was the preferred supplier of proton beam therapy equipment for the new United Kingdom service on both sites. Evaluation of the bids included a thorough assessment of costs, technology and clinical effectiveness.

Clinical Priorities Advisory Group

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer to Question 224943 of 2 March 2015, whether minutes exist for each meeting of the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG) prior to February 2015; if he will publish the agendas of all CPAG meetings undertaken to date; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: NHS England has advised that minutes do exist for each meeting of the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG).   NHS England has advised that they intend to routinely publish minutes and the agendas of CPAG meetings in the future, and are considering how to make available minutes of previous meetings.

Diabetes: Young People

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of young people developing diabetes.

Jane Ellison: Type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are very different diseases, and the causes of type 1 remain unclear. Obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes.   We have set national ambition for a downward trend in excess weight in children by 2020 and in recent years have seen obesity rates in children levelling off.   We have a well-developed and wide-ranging programme of actions to tackle child obesity. These include working with a wide range of partners including Public Health England and NHS England. Key initiatives include Change4Life, the National Child Measurement Programme, Change4Life Sports Clubs, School Sports Funding and the School Food Plan.   Through our voluntary approach with the food and drink industry, we have cut billions of calories from soft drinks and we have made it easier to see how much sugar is in soft drinks with our colour coded front of pack nutrition labelling.

Diabetes: Children

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of children with diabetes experience problems with their eyesight and kidneys before they reach the age of 18.

Dr Daniel Poulter: The information requested is not collected centrally by the Department.   The National Paediatric Diabetes Audit published on 9 March 2015 by the Royal College of Paediatric and Child Health reported that 7% of young people aged 12 and over have excess protein in their urine which indicates a high risk of future kidney disease and over 14% have early signs of eye disease, putting them at risk of future blindness.

Cancer

Dr William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of potential links between breast and prostate cancer; and whether he has discussed this matter with the devolved administrations.

Jane Ellison: Although no formal assessment has been made, we acknowledge that there is evidence about the BRCA1 and BRCA2 breast cancer genes also giving a higher risk of prostate cancer. As health is a devolved matter, Ministers do not regularly hold discussions on these matters with their counterparts in the Devolved Administrations. However, research and evidence of best practice is made widely available throughout the United Kingdom.

Prisons: Mental Health Services

George Hollingbery: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to improve the mental health of prisoners.

Norman Lamb: NHS England is improving prison mental health services through nationally developed service specifications, which are being rolled out across the prison estate in England, ensuring that there are national standards against which services can be measured.   In addition, the Government’s Mandate with NHS England commits NHS England to develop better healthcare services for people in the criminal justice system. We have also asked the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to develop guidelines on improving the mental health for people in prison, which it expects to publish in 2016.   Liaison and diversion services seek to identify offenders who have mental health, learning disability or substance misuse vulnerabilities, and who come into contact with the criminal justice system, so that they can either be supported through the criminal justice pathway or diverted into treatment, social care service or other relevant intervention or support service. NHS England is currently rolling out a new standard model of liaison and diversion service to ensure that services are consistent and can support people of all ages. From April 2015, there will be 22 liaison and diversion sites across England covering over 55% of the population. If the model is successful, services will then be rolled out nationally by 2017/18 subject to HM Treasury approval of the full business case.   Work is currently underway with the Ministry of Justice on developing mental health care in the criminal justice system, which will ensure that prisoners receive mental health treatment equivalent to what they would receive in the community and support continuity of treatment between custody and community.

Prisons: Drugs

George Hollingbery: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to improve drug treatment in prisons.

Norman Lamb: Across government, we have sought new ways to help rehabilitate offenders from drug dependency to live drug and crime free lives. As part of this, wing-based, abstinence-focused, drug recovery services have been piloted. These focus on providing dedicated prison accommodation, treatment and support to those who are dependent on drugs and alcohol while in custody and connecting them with community support on release.   Building on the drug recovery wing ethos, the Department and Ministry of Justice have jointly funded an initiative to improve the “through the gate” provision for prisoners who are dependent on drugs and alcohol. Ten prisons in the North West are currently piloting a range of innovative interventions to provide more intensive support and supervision for people leaving custody which include the use of peer mentors, recovery housing services and take-home naloxone as they return to the community. The learning from this approach will be used to inform wider roll-out in the new system in line with implementation of the Transforming Rehabilitation Programme.   The Integrated Drug Treatment System (IDTS) programme, implemented in prisons between 2006 and 2010, sought to improve the standard and quality of drug treatment in prisons. Through IDTS, prisoners could get access to evidence-based opioid substitution treatment in prison, which they could continue in the community after release. The principles of IDTS continue to be adopted by partners responsible for commissioning health services.

Parkinson's Disease: Drugs

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer to Question 224953 of 2 March 2015, whether Duodopa was considered for funding by NHS England for routine funding in the 2013-14 financial year.

George Freeman: NHS England has advised that the draft clinical policy for recommending the funding of Duodopa was presented and considered in 2014-15. Before this time, the commissioning responsibility for Duodopa rested with clinical commissioning groups.

Parkinson's Disease: Drugs

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer to Question 224942 of 2 March 2015, for what reason NHS England requires successful individual funding requests to demonstrate exceptionality against a draft commissioning policy which has yet to be finalised; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman: In the absence of guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, it is for commissioners to make funding decisions on the basis of the evidence available.   NHS England has advised that it considers individual funding requests against published clinical policies.

Multiple Births

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve the UK's patient safety OECD ranking for patient safety incidents involving multiple pregnancies; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Daniel Poulter: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development rankings on patient safety are informed by the Health Care Quality Indicators which currently do not compare or rank nations specifically by patient safety incidents involving multiple pregnancies. There are five indicators which are used to rank countries for patient safety:   retained surgical device or fragmentpost-operative wound dehiscencepost-operative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosispost-operative sepsisobstetric trauma   Women should receive excellent maternity care that focuses on the best outcomes for women and their babies and on women’s experience of care.   There must be a relentless focus on safe care, right first time. This means creating a culture within the National Health Service that is open. A culture that reports errors, analyses what went wrong, and puts those lessons into practice as quickly as possible.   A safety culture is open and fair, shares information openly and freely, delivers fair treatment for staff when an incident happens, and encourages people to speak up about mistakes.   The Department commissioned the National Institute of Care and Excellence (NICE) to produce clinical guidelines and quality standards for the management of twin and triplet pregnancies in the antenatal period. NICE have also produced a pathway to support professionals to care for women with multiple pregnancies who suffer from complications.   NHS England has developed a Maternity Safety Thermometer – which is available to all trusts and allows maternity teams to take a temperature check on harm and records the proportion of mothers who have experienced harm free care, but also records the number of harm(s) associated with maternity care. It supports improvements in patient care and patient experience, prompts immediate actions by healthcare staff and integrates measurement for improvement into daily routines.   The Maternity Safety Thermometer was tested in a pilot phase from June 2013 until October 2014 and is now fully released and available to any organisation wanting to use it.   NHS England is undertaking a major review of the commissioning of NHS maternity services, in line with commitments made in the NHS Five Year Forward View. The review will assess current maternity care provision and consider how services should be developed to meet the changing needs of women and babies.   Recent advances in maternity care, changes in the demographics of women having babies, and preferences of where they want to give birth will form a key focus. Firstly, the review will evaluate the United Kingdom and international evidence and make recommendations on safe and efficient models of maternity services. Secondly it will ensure that the NHS supports and enables women to make safe and appropriate choices of maternity care for them and their babies. Thirdly it will support NHS staff including midwives to provide responsive care.   The terms of reference for the review were published on the 3 March. They can be found online at:   http://www.england.nhs.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2015/03/maternity-rev-tor.pdf   This review, which is expected to report in by the end of the year, will be led by an external chair, supported by a diverse panel.

Multiple Births

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to support (a) research into still births and neonatal deaths and (b) the dissemination of clinical best practice in multiple pregnancies.

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2014 to Question 217331, what steps his Department is taking to support NICE and other stakeholders disseminate and implement NICE guidance for multiple pregnancies within the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Daniel Poulter: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), who are an independent body, publishes a range of support tools and advice to help the National Health Service locally to implement its guidance. Further information can be found at:   https://www.nice.org.uk/about/what-we-do/into-practice/help-implement-nice-guidance   The implementation or communication of clinical guidance for women with multiple pregnancies is a matter for NICE and local trusts.   A range of research relating to causes, risk factors and prevention of stillbirth and neonatal death is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Department’s Policy Research Programme (PRP).   The NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme is currently funding a £6 million trial of an intelligent system to support decision making in the management of labour using the cardiotocogram. The study started in 2009 and is led by University College London. It will test whether an intelligent computer program can help midwives and doctors improve the care they give in response to abnormalities of the baby's heart rate and whether this will lead to fewer babies being harmed because of a lack of oxygen.   The NIHR is funding a £1.1 million clinician scientist award looking at preventing adverse pregnancy outcome in women at increased risk of stillbirth by detecting placental dysfunction.   The NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre both have ongoing programmes of research on women's health, including research relevant to the prevention of stillbirth and neonatal death.   The PRP is funding the Policy Research Unit in Maternal Health and Care based in the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford.

Domestic Accidents: York

Sir Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many falls (a) at home and (b) in total were recorded by health and social care providers in (i) York Central constituency and (ii) City of York local authority area in 2010 and each subsequent year.

Norman Lamb: The information is not available in the format requested. Data is only held in relation to falls which lead to a hospital admission. We have provided a count of finished admission episodes where an external cause of fall was recorded.   The information is not available in the format requested. Data is only held in relation to falls which lead to a hospital admission. We have provided a count of finished admission episodes where an external cause of fall was recorded.   Count of finished admission episodes1 (FAEs) where an external cause2 of fall was recorded for a) York Central constituency3 and b) York Unitary Authority Area4 for years 2010-11 to 2013-145   Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector YearYork Central constituencyYork Unitary Authority2010-118921,8522011-128401,7582012-137881,5482013-148011,613 Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre   1 Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FAEs are counted against the year or month in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the period.   2 External cause codes Falls are categorised by the following external cause codes:   W00 Fall on same level involving ice and snow W01 Fall on same level from slipping tripping and stumbling W02 Fall involving ice-skates skis roller-skates or skateboards W03 Other fall same level due collision/pushing by another person W04 Fall while being carried or supported by other persons W05 Fall involving wheelchair W06 Fall involving bed W07 Fall involving chair W08 Fall involving other furniture W09 Fall involving playground equipment W10 Fall on and from stairs and steps W11 Fall on and from ladder W12 Fall on and from scaffolding W13 Fall from out of or through building or structure W14 Fall from tree W15 Fall from cliff W16 Diving/jumping into water causing injury other than drowning or submersion W17 Other fall from one level to another W18 Other fall on same level W19 Unspecified fall   3 Parliamentary constituency of residence The parliamentary constituency containing the patient’s normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another parliamentary constituency for treatment. This field is only available from 2009-10 onwards.   4 Local authority of residence The local authority containing the patient’s normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another local authority for treatment.   5 Assessing growth through time (Admitted patient care) Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. Conversely, apparent increases in activity may be due to improved recording of diagnosis or procedure information. Note that HES include activity ending in the year in question and run from April to March, e.g. 2012-13 includes activity ending between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2013.

Carers: York

Sir Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many family members looking after a relative at home were registered as carers with the local authority in (a) York Central constituency and (b) City of York local authority area in (i) April 2010 and (ii) each subsequent April.

Norman Lamb: The only available data are from the Referrals, Assessments and Packages of Care returns (RAP) section of the data collected on the social care activity of councils with adult social services responsibilities.   The data are provided only for York Unitary Authority. The information is not collected at constituency level. The data do not provide information on whether or not the carers seen by local authorities are family members of the person being cared for. The current definition of a carer is taken from the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000, which states that the Act affects ‘carers (aged 16 or over) who provide or intend to provide a substantial amount of care on a regular basis for another individual aged 18 or over’.   Although the Act refers only to carers aged 16 or over, younger carers of adults should be included in these data. The Act excludes from the definition of a carer, paid care workers and volunteers from a voluntary organisation.   The collection period runs from 1 April to 31 March. For example, for 2010/11, the collection period runs from 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011. The figures provided are rounded to the nearest five people.   Table 1 - Number of carers for whom assessments or reviews were completed during the period (for all age groups of carer, all client groups and all age groups of the person cared for by the carer).   Collection periodCarer assessed separatelyCarer assessed jointly with person cared for by carerDeclinedTotal2010/11660920201,5952011/12715760151,4902012/1357583551,4202013/14515930151,455 Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) – RAP C1.   Table 2 - Number of carers receiving different types of services provided as an outcome of an assessment or review (for all age groups of carer, all client groups, and all age groups of the person cared for by the carer).   Collection periodReceiving servicesReceiving information onlyTotal2010/116409401,5752011/126358401,4752012/135009151,4152013/142451,2001,440 Source: HSCIC - RAP C2.

Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group

Sir Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group spent on managing provider contracts in 2013 and in each subsequent year.

Jane Ellison: This information is not collected centrally.

Abortion

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what powers he possesses to take action against abortion providers which fail to comply with his Department's interpretation of the Abortion Act 1967 as set out in the Guidance on the Requirements of the Abortion Act 1967.

Jane Ellison: The Secretary of State for Health has powers under section 1(3) of the Abortion Act 1967 and these could be used in such circumstances.

Hearing Impairment

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department asked NICE to produce a clinical guideline and quality standard on adult hearing loss; and when he expects NICE to produce those documents.

George Freeman: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) was asked to develop a clinical guideline and quality standard on adult hearing loss in 2012.   NICE has advised that the clinical guideline is currently scheduled for development from spring 2016 and currently anticipates that this will be published in autumn 2018. A quality standard on hearing loss based on the clinical guideline will follow.

Childbirth

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many babies weighing (a) less than and (b) more than 1,000g and which were born at (i) 22, (ii) 23 and (iii) 24 weeks' gestation survived in each of the last five years.

Dr Daniel Poulter: This information is set out in the attached table. 



Births and deaths of babies per gestation week
(Word Document, 17.32 KB)

Carers

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has provided to local authorities on the implementation of the Care Act 2014 and the right of carers to an assessment and support.

Norman Lamb: Following consultation over last summer, we issued statutory guidance under the Care Act 2014 in October 2014, which is available at:   https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-2014-statutory-guidance-for-implementation   The guidance covers the purpose of an assessment and outlines what local authorities must do when conducting carers’ assessments and in providing support for their eligible needs.   We have also published guidance for local authorities on a ‘whole family approach’ to assessments, which will identify any children who provide care for a member of their family and put in place appropriate support for the carer, including for a young carer. The guidance is available at: http://www.local.gov.uk/documents/10180/5756320/The+Care+Act+and+whole+family+approaches/080c323f-e653-4cea-832a-90947c9dc00c

Carers: Young People

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Department for Education on the effect of the Care Act 2014 on young carers.

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice and guidance his Department has provided to local authorities on the effect of the Care Act 2014 on young carers.

Norman Lamb: My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has not had discussions with Minsters in the Department for Education (DfE). However, I have been fully engaged with my counterpart at DfE in relation to the provisions in the Care Act 2014 which affect young carers, and the inter-relation with the provisions of the Children and Families Act 2014.   The Care Act falls within the responsibility of the Department of Health and we issued statutory guidance under the Act last October. The DfE was closely involved in the development of the guidance in relation to issues affecting young carers.   The Government recognises that transition into adulthood is an important time when young people and their families are thinking about their goals and aspirations for the future and to ensure that they are not left without care and support. The Care Act, for the first time, places a legal duty on local authorities to assess the needs of young carers as they approach adulthood and that transition assessment and planning must consider how to support young carers to prepare for adulthood and how to raise and fulfil their aspirations.   The Care and Support (Assessment) Regulations 2014 require local authorities when looking at the needs of an individual, to consider the impact of those needs on any young carer involved in the situation and identify whether the tasks they are performing are inappropriate.   We have also published guidance for local authorities on a ‘whole family approach’ to assessments, which will identify any children who are involved in providing care. Identification of a young carer in the family should result in an offer of a needs assessment for an adult requiring care and support and where it appears that they may have a need for support.

Sexually Transmitted Infections: Antibiotics

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps (a) his Department and (b) Public Health England is taking to investigate the prevalence of the availability of antibiotics to treat sexually-transmitted infections via websites.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that national best practice guidelines are adhered to in provision of treatment of gonorrhoea through online pharmacies.

Jane Ellison: Pharmacies with premises in Great Britain, including on-line pharmacies, that are registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council must comply with the standards set by that Council. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians registered with the Council and who work in any pharmacy must similarly comply with the standards of conduct, ethics and performance set by the Council including legal and professional requirements and accepted guidance on professional practice.   Testing and treatment services, irrespective of how and where they are provided, should meet national standards recommended by the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV and Public Health England. Ultimately it is for doctors and other prescribers “to provide effective treatments based on the best available evidence” in accordance with guidance from the General Medical Council and other regulatory bodies.   Any website found to be operating in breach of regulations governing the supply of medicines can be referred to Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority for consideration and further action.

Social Services

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department plans to take to monitor whether care assessments carried out under the Care Act 2014 include consideration of any companion animals.

Norman Lamb: Under the duty to promote well-being in the Care Act, which applies to all care and support functions in the Act, people’s well-being, including emotional well-being and the outcomes that matter to them, must be taken into consideration by local authorities when undertaking an assessment of their needs. This may incorporate an individual’s feelings and wishes about keeping a companion animal, where relevant.

Medical Records: Databases

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons his Department's logo does not appear on any published information about care.data.

Dr Daniel Poulter: Care.data is NHS England’s programme to make increased use of information with the intention of improving health services. As a National Health Service-led programme, it would not be appropriate for the Department’s logo to appear. The only material currently published on the programme is the 2014 NHS leaflet “Better information means better care” and the associated information available on the NHS England website:   http://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/tsd/care-data.

Pharmacy: Internet

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what regulatory powers the Care Quality Commission has to review the practice of online prescribing where it is aware of evidence that patients are being prescribed suboptimal treatment.

Norman Lamb: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care providers in England. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 all providers of regulated activities, including National Health Service and independent providers, have to register with CQC and meet a set of requirements of safety and quality. CQC is responsible for the regulation and inspection of regulated services.   CQC has provided the following information.   CQC regulates services that offer remote advice as this falls under the regulated activity of “Transport services, triage and medical advice provided remotely”. This covers medical advice where this advice is responsive; that is, for immediate attention or action and where that advice is provided remotely either over the telephone or by electronic mail by a body established for that purpose. It would also include the remote prescribing services in England and is set out in the Scope of Registration document on the CQC website.   As part of the CQC inspection process, CQC would look at the systems in place to ensure that patients receive safe, effective, caring and responsive care and whether the service provider is well led. In respect of a remote prescribing service this would include how the remote consultation is managed to adequately assess and treat patients. It would be expected that this would include regard for any relevant clinical or prescribing guidance and any concerns identified in this area would be followed up in line with CQC enforcement policy.   CQC does not look at individual patient prescriptions nor do CQC have the powers to challenge clinician’s prescribing decisions. This would be a matter for the relevant professional regulator.

Public Health England

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much Public Health England has spent on marketing campaigning in each year since it was established; and how much of that spending was on campaigns on mental health.

Jane Ellison: Public Health England (PHE) took over all the public health campaigns formerly run by the Department on 1 April 2013.   Of PHE’s total social marketing budget of £30,565,000, the budget for mental health and wellbeing campaigns specifically was £205,000. However, other PHE led social marketing campaigns contribute to improving mental health and wellbeing, and therefore this should not be seen as the totality of social marketing spend on mental health and wellbeing by PHE.